


The Only Way Now

by Clarx



Series: The Only [1]
Category: Life Is Strange, Life Is Strange (Video Game), Life Is Strange 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Dorks, Dorks in Love, Epic Love, F/F, Fluff, Love, Major Character Undeath, Original Character(s), Post-Canon, Supernatural Elements, Time Travel, bae and bay, both endings combined, classy smut, goop, pricefield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:27:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 51,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22454170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clarx/pseuds/Clarx
Summary: After the strangest week of her life, Max Caulfield was faced with an unfair and difficult decision. Neither choice was ideal—in fact the choices fucking sucked!  Either way meant the deaths of loved ones. In a reality where rewind is possible, someway, somehow.... she chose both.(Welcome to your new head canon)
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price, Pricefield - Relationship, Rachel Amber & Chloe Price, Rachel Amber & Maxine "Max" Caulfield
Series: The Only [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1616407
Comments: 78
Kudos: 156





	1. Convergence

__

_She was given a power to go back and correct mistakes. A ‘rewind power’, she called it. Early on, she tested the power by not only correcting mistakes, but by making herself seem smarter, cooler, and more popular. It made her sick to her stomach thinking about the earlier days; she felt naïve and ignorant. According to her phone’s calendar, that time was only about a week ago. It seemed like a lifetime had passed between then and now, and she vowed to never manipulate time again without a specific purpose._

_The only thing that mattered right then, right there in that moment, was the past and the future. She no longer cared about the present. As she came to this realization, a butterfly landed on her best friend’s casket. Through red, irritated eyes, she couldn’t control her face, as a smile was forcing itself through her slightly chapped lips. The only two thoughts that ran through her mind were the kiss they shared in her friend’s final moments, and the word “destiny.” She would be facing a different outcome had she not listened to the girl who begged her to photo jump, once more, to save the town from a giant storm, sacrificing her best friend in the process. This best friend, who was Max's favorite person she'd ever met, in a most selfless act, gave up her life for others. She considered the blue-haired girl a hero.  
_

_Max knew a little bit about insects, and she had seen this particular insect previously. Was it a morpho, an adonis, a monarch, or maybe a hairstreak? It didn’t matter. She knew what it meant. It was azure and reminded her of Chloe, her childhood companion, who morphed into so much more than a friend during the last week, and who had stopped breathing after a bullet was sent through her in the scummy old Blackwell restroom. If nothing else, Chloe at least deserved a much better death. She was way too special to end this way. Max believed she could change this too._

_Wanting to be certain about her idea, she didn’t rush to do it immediately. She knew she was going to, she was just not sure exactly when. The timing needed to be right. She didn’t want to fuck things up more than she already had. This time, she would wait for a sign from the universe. This time, things would be different._

_The week following the funeral was fall break at Blackwell and she wanted to be back around her family. She would leave Blackwell, Arcadia Bay, and Oregon to live with her parents for the week. Max used the last of her birthday money to hop on a bus with a destination for Seattle._

* * *

**The choice was not easy at the end. Sacrificing her best friend, saving her hometown and everyone in it, or letting the storm decimate Arcadia Bay, saving the one person she loved so much. It wasn’t as difficult a decision as it might have been for anyone else, but the only thing that mattered to Max, was the present – not the future, not the past. She wanted to be with Chloe, and she didn’t want to live in a world without the girl she cared so much about. That world was too dark for her and she thought she understood why, she was in love... maybe. She didn’t even know if Chloe felt the same way, all she knew was what her heart was telling her. Having saved the tall, blue-headed girl numerous times already, she was prepared to save her again.**

**And again.**

**And again.**

**And again.**

**And as many times as necessary.**

**After watching the storm destroy what they assumed was everyone and everything in the Arcadia Bay area, Max and Chloe hopped in the old, beater of a truck and simply left town, never looking back. They didn’t know where they were going. They just left.**

**After driving in silence, in consideration, for quite a while, Max asked her beautiful friend to drive to Seattle, to her parents’ house. She had an idea. It was a very dangerous idea, but she felt extreme grief and sadness and knew her friend felt it too. Could they ever be truly happy with this outcome? It might have been too heavy for both if they didn’t at least try and make things right. She saw the look in her partner-in-crime’s eyes, and she, too, felt the overwhelming sorrow.**

**It wouldn’t come immediately, but she knew the universe would surely let her know when the time was right. She didn’t want to fuck up things again, so she would wait for the perfect moment. For now, Seattle was the best place for them. For now, they were together, in the present. It was all that mattered.**

* * *

_Max hugged her dad first, then her mom. Being around them again helped heal her heart, at least temporarily. Chloe was still in there somewhere too, of course, but it wasn’t the same. The brunette could feel the girl's presence somehow, but missed her so very much. She told her parents everything she could, stretching the truth about reconnecting with Chloe. The truth is it never actually happened in this reality but they would never know._

_Her story involved meeting up with her best friend a week prior to the restroom shooting. She detailed events such as breaking into Blackwell for a night swim as well as junkyard shenanigans and reconnecting with Joyce. They could tell immediately their little Maxine had grown up tremendously from the last time they had seen her. After the insane events of the past two weeks or so, the Caulfield’s didn’t ask too many questions. They wanted to be there for support more than anything. She seemed more distant than usual, and it was understandable. Her best friend had recently been murdered._

_Max recalled holding Chloe, as her best friend hysterically broke down, “Oh, Rachel, no, no! Please not her! How can she be dead? Who does this?” The horrific memory will be forever tattooed in her mind. And that smell. God the smell! Yet, she could never tell them about any of it. Plus, she was conflicted with a whirlwind of emotions: empathy, sympathy, helplessness, jealousy, anguish, and so on. The jealousy part felt ridiculous, but there was no denying the fact that she was jealous of a dead girl. Chloe had loved Rachel Amber so much, and they shared a ton of time together._

_Chloe’s step douche, David Madsen, received an anonymous tip about Rachel’s whereabouts as well as where the darkroom was located. In no time at all, Nathan and Jefferson were apprehended, and Rachel’s body was discovered. The news reported there would be no funeral. Despite being a prominent family in the community, the Ambers requested privacy and practically vanished. Who could blame them? Their daughter had been missing for months then found murdered by a student and a famous, now infamous, photography teacher. They apparently were in denial about their daughter’s whereabouts before. There was no indication they had even been looking for her, which seemed very odd to Max. She imagined, and hoped, her mom and dad wouldn’t stop at nothing to find her if put in a similar situation._

_Max’s mom opened her heart to her daughter that night. She even mentioned how she regretted monitoring her texts with Chloe after her father, William, had passed. At the time, she and Max’s father thought it would be best to cut her and Chloe off completely. As laid back as they were, they practically forbade the freckled girl to speak to her pirate friend. They knew how close they had gotten, and as a young teenager, they figured she needed a complete reset to block her from the grief and allow her to move on._

_Max couldn’t even remember why she lost touch with her Captain Blue Beard; she only knew it was one of her biggest regrets. Part of her hated her parents for that decision, she argued with her mom briefly but was convinced they were only doing what they thought was best. She was too weary to fight and knew her plan was to change things anyway. At least now she knew the truth, and when she sees Chloe again, she’ll tell her. “It wasn’t my fault after all, it was the parentals!”_

* * *

**Vanessa and Ryan together hugged both girls when they arrived. They squeezed them tighter than Max had ever felt before, and she thought they would never let go. It reminded her of when she saw the back of Chloe’s perfect head and slender shoulders after leaving the timeline where her partner-in-crime asked her to end her life. She squeezed the blue-haired punk so tightly, and she would never forget her words: “Whoa, whoa, down Max. You get one kiss, now you’re all over me?” and, “You sound high, but thanks for the morning grope.”**

**Max’s parents heard about the storm and were worried sick. Chloe called them from her phone en route to Seattle. Max’s phone had died, and after she charged and rebooted it back up at the Caulfield’s house, she had hundreds of missed calls and texts. Nearly half were from her parents. They didn’t know just how bad the storm was and how much damage it caused until Max and Chloe told them about the phone call Chloe received just a few hours prior.**

**David Madsen informed them that he didn’t think there were any survivors besides the two of them, himself, and Victoria Chase, Max’s old nemesis from Blackwell. He and Victoria ironically survived in the dark room bunker. Chloe turned the speaker phone off when her and David started arguing. She heard Chloe saying, “I don’t give a fuck. We are together. We are leaving. You can rot in that shit hole for all I care!” before throwing her phone against the dash and hanging up.**

**The events of the week played over and over in Max’s head as she showered for the first time in what seemed to be several days. The warm water felt amazeballs in her hair and on her body, but something kept pronging at her. What could she have done differently? Should she have given up Chloe to save everyone else? Hella no! No regrets. Even though she practically begged Max to save everyone else, she would never let her best friend die scared and all alone.**

**But something was bothering her. She was given a gift. Why was she chosen to hold this responsibility? Maybe she’d never know. What she did know was she still had the power. Every few hours since the storm, she rewound for a couple of seconds just trying it out. She could feel it. It was a part of her, and she a part of it.**

**Max didn’t know a lot about her mysterious power, she only knew she still had it, and because of that, there had to be more work to do. It chose her for some reason she had yet to identify, but as long as it was with her she felt an overwhelming burden. She had an idea but knew Chloe would be upset about what she felt she needed to do. Chloe finished her shower and laid down beside her.**

**In the morning, Max would tell her, but for now, she only wanted to be in this moment. It occurred to her, she and her partner-in-crime would need to discuss their relationship at some point. She held off because her idea might change things again. And the perfect way Chloe looked tonight, with the moonlight shining through her window illuminating the bluenette’s face with shadows accentuating her cheekbones, she didn’t want to upset the incredible moment. She didn’t need a camera; her eyes were capturing every move the punk made.**

**Tomorrow would be a reset. One she hoped Chloe would understand.**

* * *

_The next morning, Max awoke in her bed calling out for Chloe. She was drenched in sweat. Her bed sheets were also saturated. The freckled brunette knew her dreams were peppered with images of her now deceased best friend, but she couldn’t recall much more. Having tested her powers every few hours since the storm week, Max panicked briefly. She slept much deeper and longer than she thought she would. Her fears were calmed when she realized the power was still within her. What was she waiting for? She knew what had to happen, and it was only a matter of time before she would hold her favorite person again. That single thought alone kept her going._

_Finding her phone on the nightstand, Max saw she had one unread message from an unknown sender. It was 10:07 and the message had been sent at 9:30. Assuming it was someone from Blackwell or Arcadia Bay, she laid the phone down and decided to shower before reading. She wasn’t in any hurry to deal with answering questions or chatting about the events of the past week._

_The warm water felt amazeballs, but panicked chills slid from the back of her head to the bottom of her spine when she considered she might have made a terrible mistake. She was playing with fate. She was holding onto a hope of reunion not knowing the exact path. But it was more than just hope. Her love would find a way._

_After drying off, and putting on her typical hipster clothing, Max noticed her mom had left breakfast upstairs on her nightstand. The scent of eggs and bacon always reminded her of Joyce, the Price household, and the diner. Everything reminded her of Chloe. Her mom wasn’t particularly bad at cooking, she just wasn’t Joyce. She didn’t have the touch Joyce did in the kitchen. Chloe’s mom cooked everything to perfection. Max finished her meal and downed her orange juice. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she had become._

_Laying her empty dishes down she remembered the message on her phone. She unplugged it and snuggled back in her warm covers. The skinny hipster opened her texts and read the message:  
  
_

_ Unknown Sender: I know who you are, Time Master. You must save everyone. _

_  
  
Mouth gaping open in shock and disbelief, it took Max several moments to gather her thoughts. The room was spinning, and she had to control her mind if she wanted to make sense of things. “This is it!” she thought, both excited and scared. This was the sign she’d been waiting for. Somehow, she knew what she had to do, though she was terrified. She was supposed to save the only two she couldn’t, Chloe…and Rachel. She hated what happened to the blond and somehow felt she was leading them along their path during the week of the storm._

_Forcing herself to not be concerned with the text for the moment, the photographer grabbed a tattered, dusty photo binder from her bookshelf. The binder housed photos of her and Chloe’s pirate adventures from when they were kids. She was frightened, yet excited. The last time she jumped back to that era, she made things worse for her friend. This time would be different. It had to be._

_Flipping through the endless pages, the hipster found the photo she was looking for. On one of the rare occasions Chloe stayed at the Caulfield’s house, Ryan took a picture of them in front of their Christmas tree, which was set up adjacent to the fireplace. Chloe had her tongue out and giving her friend bunny ears, while Max just smiled, oblivious to the fingers behind her head._

_She laid the photo on her bed and began to focus. The distant sounds of a young Chloe laughing filled her heart so much a tear came sliding down her cheek as she gasped for air. She regained her thoughts and focused once more. As reality began to wink out around her, she could barely speak, “My Chloe. My Chloe. We’ll be back together soon.”_

* * *

**Max did not even remember falling asleep. She knew Chloe slept in her room, in her bed. Before last week, they hadn’t slept together since they were children. It felt familiar yet new and curious. They still hadn’t talked much since the storm, which was uncharacteristic of the duo. But given the traumatic events of the previous week, it made sense. Both girls were comfortable with each other. They could sit in silence and not have to say a word.**

**Upon waking, the freckled brunette noticed her friend’s body resting against hers in the ‘big spoon’ position. Her arm was draped across Max as if protecting her from evil forces. Max attempted to wriggle out of her ‘little spoon’ position, as she noticed a text on her phone. She saw the message was sent by an unknown sender at 9:30 and it now was 10:07. Since everyone she loved, that was still alive, was safe and sound in this house, she figured the message could wait little longer. She also wanted to lie there and gaze at her partner as she slept. Max felt more like a kid at Christmas anxiously waiting to open her presents. She couldn’t wait to meet Chloe’s gorgeous blue eyes the second she awakened. The only thing she wanted was to be right there with her, but that same nagging feeling kept creeping back in her mind.**

**Max got up and located the tattered, dusty photo binder on the bookshelf she used as a sort of shrine for what she considered some of the best days of her life. Captain Blue Beard and Long Max Silver took hundreds of photos together, but Max searched for one specific picture. Chloe rarely stayed the night at the Caulfield’s house, so this one was extra special to Max. It was also Christmas, one of her favorite times of the year. By the time she found the photo her bestie had woken up.**

**The shorter girl hugged her taller friend and lovingly explained what she needed to do. Chloe did not like the idea of Max photo jumping. She used phrases such as, “Fuck that, I will not let you leave me again!” and “No fucking way Max Caulfield, I am NOT letting you go!” But in the end, she left the decision up to the photographer, even though she was terrified of what might happen. She knew Max had to do it. Their bond was too strong to let a little thing like time get in their way. They created their own fate many times and would do so again.**

**Knowing Chloe was by her side, Max considered letting it go. All she wanted was to be with her Captain. But the grief and sadness she felt for the people lost in the storm was nearly unbearable. Then, when she remembered the text, Max checked her phone. She stared in disbelief, eventually showing Chloe the message:**

**Unknown Sender:** **I know who you are, Time Master. You must save everyone.**

**She knew what she had to do. She hoped she could save the entire town, but there was one person she specifically felt she left behind; one person she didn’t save, knowing she might could have. She should have at least tried. She wanted to blame her lack of attempting to save Rachel on the crazy pace of events. But she knew, deep down she was scared she would be the one left behind. She couldn’t quite figure Rachel out, but what she knew about the girl was Chloe loved her. How could she compete with someone like Rachel Amber?**

**Max felt a bit of comfort watching Chloe beg her not to do it, knowing there would be a chance she might be reunited with her old flame. The photographer knew a little bit about Rachel and Chloe’s past, but she didn’t know much. She believed the two of them were together, Rachel broke it off and had a thing with the local drug dealer, Frank, and finally Rachel hooked up with Mark Jefferson. A chill ran through her as that psycho’s name bounced around her head. Even though Nathan actually killed her with an overdose, Jefferson might as well have, as he manipulated the boy. Max quickly tucked those thoughts away.**

**Now she was going to go back to try and save the one person that could drive a wedge between her and the girl she loved. The final piece to her idea would be the biggest risk. Typically, she might feel that she was already taking a huge risk, what’s one more thing? But this thing involved potentially harming her punk. It could go very badly, and she hadn’t even thought about trying it before. The thought never crossed her mind. But maybe, just maybe, it could work.**

**After showing Chloe the text, a brief squabble about what it meant, and explaining her idea fully, both girls were on board. It was like they were pirates again heading off on an adventure. The swashbuckler with tats and ‘tude bashfully asked her first mate for a kiss before departure. Long Max Silver didn’t even let her finish the question. She was already locked in.**

**It was tender and sweet, and seemed to last forever. Max tingled all over with a pulsing electricity. By the end, they were just staring into each other’s eyes, blue reflecting blue, tears beginning to fill - not because they were afraid, but mainly because of their shared awareness that the other girl felt the same way. It was a pure and realized love.**

**Chloe squeezed her little photographer with everything she had. Studying and focusing on the photo, Max noticed the room blinking in and out of existence. She heard a young Chloe laugh, and audibly gasped like the wind had been knocked out of her. Anxiety and excitement filled her heart, and the two girls faded out.**

****

* * *

“Whoa!” Max exclaimed, as the scent of balsam and cinnamon filled her nostrils. The camera blinded her with a bright white flash for a moment, and before she could fully react, she felt a tight squeeze around her shoulders.

“Max, oh god, Max!” Chloe called out not loosening her grip in the slightest. “This is wild!” She looked around, mouth hanging open in disbelief. Looking at her arms and hands and body, her eyes were filled with shock. Even her voice sounded different.

Ryan looked at the young girls curiously. “You know you two have been together every day for like two months straight, right? How you keep that enthusiasm for each other, I’ll never know.” He chuckled as he removed his Santa hat and left the room disappearing into the perimeters of the picture.

“Maybe the two of us could learn from them,” Vanessa playfully commented from the distance. Her voice sounding warbled and muffled.

Holding each other tightly the two pirates sat down on the couch admiring each other’s younger bodies. They didn’t want to let go, but Max knew it wouldn’t last long.

“God I can’t believe you just jumped with me!” Max raved after removing her eye patch. There was so much she wanted to say, but she knew she only had a brief few moments before they’d be back in the present. “We don’t have much time.” Her power felt more potent the last week or so, but this seemed insane. “The next part usually involves a jump to the present with me not remembering what happened; you remember, like after the Vortex Club party.”

Upon hearing herself mention the party, she wasn’t sure if it actually happened, or if Chloe was even alive at the time. Tears were forming in Max’s adolescent eyes, and she wasn’t sure if she could hold them back. Her sense of urgency was almost overwhelming and her blood pumped heavy beneath her skin. “We need to do something right now to slightly change things; to change what happened to Rachel. Dammit think, Max!”

“What if we write ourselves a note, uh, our future selves?” Chloe calmly asked, moving her shoulders towards her ears in a shrugging motion. Max usually had to try and figure things out alone, but this was a new experience. She felt a sense of comfort and trust knowing Chloe was there with her. Looking deep in the taller girl’s clear, blue eyes she smiled and knew everything would be fine.

Considering for a moment, Max replied, “That could work! But we need to make sure things only change casually. Otherwise…” she didn’t want to think about it, “I can't see you in pain in a wheelchair again, Chloe.” It was a memory she wished she could forget, but those type of memories were starting to pile up. “I can’t watch you die again!”

“Mom!” the freckled brunette called out. “Will you help us?”

Vanessa appeared and approached the girls. “Of course, what do you need?” Her hands were on her hips, elbows pointing outward.

“Will you bring us an envelope and some paper? We want to write ourselves a note, then you put it somewhere safe. Mail it to Chloe a week before her nineteenth birthday, sort of like a time capsule.”

“Oh, is that all,” Max’s mother giggled. “Let me get right on that.”

“Mom, please. This is super important. Please!” Max looked her mother directly in her eyes hoping her seriousness was received in a convincing manner.

“Okay, okay, sweetie.” Vanessa left and returned with an envelope, a pen, and a piece of notebook paper. “Here’s a sticky note too. Just write what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.” She walked away disappearing again into the distance, leaving the two girls to themselves.

Max quickly and thoughtfully wrote out a letter on the notebook paper, put it in the envelope, sealed it, added Chloe’s address to the front, then attached the sticky note with directions. “Chloe, this has to work! It just has to!”

The older girl squeezed her friend and kissed her on the cheek. “You fucker, it’ll work.” 

“That’s a dollar for the swear jar,” Max giggled through uncontrolled sobs as the edges of reality began to burn out of existence.

“I love you so much, Chloe Price!”

“I love YOU so fucking much, Max Caulfield!”

“Another dollar for the swear jar…” 

* * *

Several years back, they moved from Arcadia Bay to Seattle because of work. They uprooted their young, teenage daughter and abandoned everything they had known. Vanessa felt terrible about forcefully ending the relationship between her daughter and her best friend. It wasn't like she insisted on their friendship ending, but Max would begin at a new school in a new town and needed to completely start over socially.

It seemed right at the time, but she didn’t know if it was anymore. Max’s best friend had just lost her father, who happened to be a very good role model and father figure for the girl. They, unfortunately, had to leave Oregon the same day as William’s funeral still dressed in their nice blacks. She should have at least allowed her daughter to stay with Chloe during that time; at least another week or so. She should have encouraged texting, phone calls, even a visit or two, not prevented them from contact. They felt the death in Max's life would surely impact the girl, and distance seemed to be the correct plan of action.

One day, when she was cleaning the garage, she rediscovered an envelope containing a letter in an unopened moving box. Things had been hectic around that time and this one had apparently been put aside and forgotten. Realizing what it was, she knew what she had to do. Her daughter asked her to send it to the friend she would eventually be forced to leave behind. There was a sticky note with directions still scarcely attached to the front. The timing couldn’t have been much better. The note, written in Max’s young teenage handwriting, indicated the letter should be mailed on March eleventh of that year. Currently, it was March second. This would be Vanessa’s main goal the next week. She was determined to fulfill her daughter’s wishes in an attempt to make things right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If my ship sails from sight, it doesn't mean my journey ends, it simply means the river bends. -Enoch Powell
> 
> \-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
> This chapter was almost a prologue since it swirls around like a tornado until the two endings are merged. Thank you for reading, and I hope you stick around, the ride has just begun!


	2. Fanning the Flames

“Eh, Chloe?” Max whimpered half-conscious, half-asleep. This time it didn’t feel like a typical photo jump return, though she didn’t know if she'd jumped enough times to realize what ‘typical’ felt like. The photographer was groggy and drowsy, and her thoughts twisted like a knotted rope through her disoriented head. Normally, her mind cleared up pretty quickly once consciousness swirled back in, but this time, her thoughts floated between timelines, or realities, or whatever the different existences were called.

After lying there for several moments, Max realized she was in a bed. Relieved she was somewhere safe, she pushed up and looked around the room and noticed she was at her parent’s house in Seattle. Forcing herself to a stand, she slinked over to the white-framed vertical mirror hanging on the back of her bedroom door. “Zombie face,” she whispered to no one, realizing it was the first coherent thought that surfaced from the depths of her confusion. Then she noticed the dried crimson stripes beginning at her nostrils and ending just above her chin and all over her lips. The sight of her own blood had ceased to shock her anymore, and a taste of metallic iron drowned out any morning breath she might have had. She was surprised but glad no headache accompanied the blood as it usually did.

In the bathroom, Max splashed cold water on her face rinsing her chin and below her nose. The brunette stared at her reflection as her reflection blankly stared back at her, but something felt different. A deeper awareness of reality was starting to set in, while memories and experiences began to cross-mesh like inner-woven lattice. A sinking, dreadful feeling splintered through her veins and a deep worry made her breathing hitch. 

She fully remembered choosing to save Chloe, allowing Arcadia Bay to get ravaged by a cosmic storm. She remembered squeezing her best friend, jumping back to a Christmas memory, and Chloe actually coming with her. She also recalled saving Arcadia Bay, allowing her soulmate to die at the hands of that bastard Nathan Prescott on the cold, hard Blackwell bathroom floor. She remembered the funeral and seeing the blue butterfly again. She had used the same Christmas-time photo to jump without Chloe while desperately yearning to hold her pirate captain once again. “What the fuck is happening?” she wondered aloud. Memories melded together like a dripping ball of hot wax loosely stringing the different threads of reality together.

Suddenly, like being hit in the gut with a sack of bricks, a deep and primal panic arose within her. “Chloe!” Max ran faster than she ever recalled running before, back to her room in desperate search for her phone. After a frenzied scramble, she found her cell in the hamper in the back pocket of the jeans she must have been wearing the previous day.

The lock screen was a selfie of her and the azure-haired goddess, which allowed her to breathe a momentary sigh of relief. “So far, things seem to be in order,” she assumed, like she was narrating her own life. “Of course, they are, we did it right… I hope.” She knew she could search through her messages and piece new details together, but all she wanted was to make sure Chloe was safe. Her best friend's safety had become her main concern as of late. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she phoned the girl as her hands trembled with excitement.

It only rang once before the voice Max longed to hear came through. “Max! Goddammit, Max, what the fuck took you so long?! Doesn’t matter. Are you safe? Say something!” With no breath in-between sentences, Chloe hadn't given Max a chance to speak but was clearly too excited and overjoyed to stop talking. 

“Chloe.” Max calmly broke in, though her heart was thumping at what she imagined to be an unhealthy frequency. “I-I’m at my parent’s house. Wh-where are you?” Her head was swimming and her words came out a bit jumbled and in a stutter.

“Oh, Max, Fuck! I’m in Arcadia Bay.” The younger girl heard a lighter ignite and the pull of the first drag from a freshly lit cigarette. After an airy exhale, Chloe continued, “If I know my bony-butt hipster as well as I think I do, the first thing you did was call me, Yeah? But Max, I’ve been waiting hours for you to call, what the hell have you been doing? Resting, I hope.” She seemed irritated, yet her voice sounded velvety and soothing to Max’s ears.

The photographer glanced at the digital clock on her nightstand and noticed it was 11:15am, and she couldn't remember the last time she slept that late. “It’s hella awesome to hear your voice, Chloe. But why are we apart? I need to see you.” She didn’t even attempt to hide the anguished yearning in her voice. “I can’t stop thinking about kissing you again and holding you, and...” There was a momentary silence after Max’s last words, as she trailed off. She knew Chloe wanted an answer to her question, and she still wasn’t sure about their relationship status. They were, and always would be best friends, but recently, her feeling grew more fierce, and she thought she loved the girl in a deeper way than 'just friends'. “Chloe, my memories are, uh, strange. I remember two totally different realities. I guess that last photo jump took a lot out of me.”

“I’m sorry, Caulfield. I shouldn’t sound pissed off. I just miss your ass so bad, and I’m glad you’re okay. But, yeah, me too. I remember some fucked shit. Clear as day I can see the storm wiping out the damn Bay. I can feel the wind and the rain soaking my hair and clothes and holding your hand as the shit went down.” She took a deep breath, noticeably swallowing hard. “Max, I remember what it felt like to get shot. I remember...” she paused and took a drink of what Max assumed was a bottle of beer. After sending the gulp down her throat the girl continued. “I-I remember dying, dude.”

Max shivered at the thought. “You’re here Chloe Price; you’re not dead. You’re alive and nothing can change that.” She considered for a moment, then continued, “But why are we apart now? It doesn’t make sense. We should be together.” Max feared the worst as she had grown accustomed to doing after rewinding several times to save her best friend’s life the prior week. “Did something terrible happen? Did I fuck up again? Goddammit, I just can't get it right! Is... Is... Arcadia Bay safe?”

“You’re so cute when you worry. Have I ever told you that before?” Max could tell the girl had that patented Chloe Price smirk on her face and it enticed a slight smile on her own. “You’re on fall break from Blackwell and wanted to visit your parents. Maxter, we have a lot to talk about. While I was waiting for you to call, which was over three hours, cough cough, I connected some dots. Dude, you remember we jumped together, right? No matter what happened while we were, eh, away, we are still Max and Chloe. We are always together even when we’re not!”

At those last words, which had sort of become the pair's mantra, Max let out a tiny coo. “Chloe...” she began but was cut off.

“This is amazing, Maxi Max. Fuck, you're perfect. I have no idea what I did to deserve you, but this feels like...” Max didn’t let her partner in crime finish her sentence. This time she was the one who cut Chloe off.

“Destiny,” the brunette said without hesitating. “I need to see you so badly, Chl...”

“You’re a goop, Maximus. We'll see each other soon, but right now, you’re hours away, and I need to tell you what I learned. Are you sitting down for this?”

“You’re such a dork. Yes, I’m sitting on my bed.” She wished more than anything her favorite person was sitting there beside her. She closed her eyes for a second and could almost feel the girl's warm radiating outward and embracing her body.

“Okay, well, I think we should start with the biggest piece of intel I’ve learned. The, um, the ‘other’ Max and Chloe did most everything the exact same way we did. So, we didn’t fuck up too much, at least from what I can tell anyway. By the way...” she bounced around with her thoughts, clearly unable to focus because of the situation. “How come you didn’t tell me your parents were the reason you stopped messaging me after you left when my dad died?” She didn’t even leave enough space for Max to respond. “Doesn’t matter.” The brunette heard the sizzle of a cigarette being snuffed out. “Your mom came through! She sent your letter and wrote her own note explaining why they kept us apart. She felt very bad about that, dude. Like terribly bad. I still don't think that shit was right, but at least she did what we needed her to do.”

Max sat there attentive to every syllable that left the blue-haired girl’s soft lips, imagining them as they once were pressed against hers. Then, a new thought crossed her mind. As soon as she had it, she almost wished she hadn’t. “Chloe, what about R-Rachel? Did she make it?” After all, that was one of the main reasons she decided to go back.

“That’s the other part, Max, it’s why you needed to be sitting.” She appreciated Chloe’s direct approach, and if she didn’t know her best friend as well as she did, she might believe the girl took enjoyment in arousing her anxiety. It was just her way, though, and she loved that about her friend. “The good news is the Bay's alive and well. Your plan worked, you selfless bitch! You saved everyone! You saved... Rachel, too. You put your happiness on the line to save someone who I loved before we reconnected. I just...” 

Max responded, “Chloe, you don’t understand. Saving Rachel is the most selfish thing I could have done. I knew we could never be happy if we didn’t try. I’m very selfish. All I want is to be around you and... with you. I think I want us to be together, like... together together. But your happiness is the most important thing to me. Nothing else really matters.”

“No, Max, even now, you are too humble to even see it. You are amazeballs, dude.”

“Chloe, what is the bad news?” Max needed to know, even if she suspected the answer might hurt.

“Ok, I’ll just tell you.” The punk seemed to have been delaying this part of the conversation. “Rachel's safe in L.A. I apparently helped her leave before anything bad happened to her thanks to that damn letter your mom sent. The other me kept in touch with her. We texted and spoke on the phone pretty much every day.” She briefly hesitated then went on. “Sh-She asked me to come visit, and... I’m gonna go, Max.”

The brunette's heart sank. The happiness she experienced just moments prior at the sound of Chloe’s voice, was replaced with a deep worry. For the first time, her jealousy seemed more than appropriate, even though she hated herself for it. She didn’t want to speak but knew she should. “I don’t wanna believe this is happening.”

“It’s a lot, I know.” The only relief the younger girl found from the information that was just dropped on her was the tenderness in Chloe’s voice. The gentle way she delivered the information was nothing short of caring and sensitive. “And it’s so weird because the other Chloe was me, I guess, but I am me, ya know? I don’t remember anything. Fuck. Max, how are you doing with this? I just wish I could tell you in person and hug on you the rest of the day. We could hunt down clues and make sense of everything else together. Just like we did before.”

Max realized she was sniffling into the phone, holding back tears as best she could.

“Please don’t be sad. I am head over heels in love with you, hippie. You are my Max. You are my perfect person, and we are... well, we are… us. Nothing will ever change that. Not even death for fuck’s sake. Do you hear me?” Max didn’t realize how much she needed to hear those words. Chloe must have sensed her nodding in the phone’s direction as confirmation. It was the first time either one of them had verbally admitted romantic feelings for the other.

“I'm gonna go meet her, Max. The other me encouraged her to go, leave Arcadia Bay, with the help of your awesomely worded letter, of course.” Her tone suddenly shifted a bit. “I forgave you the moment I saw you again in the Blackwell parking lot, even if I gave you shit. The truth is, I felt so abandoned by you and my father at the time, even though that wasn’t totally fair to either of you. Especially now, knowing what I know about your parents and all.”

Chloe obnoxiously slurped another sip of her beverage and continued. “Rachel saved me. I’m not sure if I would have made it if she hadn’t come into my life. I was in a dark place, and we... we... got very close. Closer than I ever thought possible with another person since, well, since you. Max, we cared so much about each other. And yes, she ended up loving other people too, because she was a free spirit or whatever, but she was the first person I truly loved. Like... romantically loved. Yeah, I guess I was in love with her. Then she was gone. I didn’t know her as the girl who escaped Arcadia Bay. I knew her back when we had only planned to leave together. It’s all I wanted, at least at one point. But we had a falling out, though we still loved one another. Then you came back to me, and we dug up her fucking body. It still hurts thinking about it. Flash forward to now. I-I have a chance to see her alive again. It’s something I have to do, Max. Fuck, I have to. You gotta understand.”

In a way, Max was in shock. She knew Chloe needed this, though. After everything they’d been through, she didn't think it would actually happen. They were Max and Chloe; they should always be together. Then she remembered the most important part of their mantra, “Even when we’re not.” In a strange way, the last part gave her a sense of tranquility and hope.

“I’m leaving today. I need to get out there as soon as possible, Max. I need closure. It’s something I was never able to get before. Thanks to you, I have this new opportunity. Fuck, please say something! Your silence is kicking me square in the ass.”

“I don’t know what to say, Chloe. My heart feels ripped out. I need you with me so badly, but that’s not going to happen, and I’m afraid of what might go down between you two. I’m sad and scared. It’s like you’re choosing her over me.” She cringed at the hopelessness in her words but was proud of herself for saying how she felt. As much as she loved the girl, sometimes Chloe could be a little intimidating to open up to. "I know that's not really fair. But... I dunno..."

“Maxi Max,” the girl at the other end of the line lovingly responded, “I’ll get out there and be back as soon as possible. Don’t you dare be afraid, please trust me. I miss you too, ya know. We only have to be apart for a little while. But just imagine how intense it’ll be when I get back. I have some things I want to, um, show you now that we know how we feel about each other. If you think our kisses have been hot wait until…” she paused a moment for dramatic effect. “God, the things I’m going to do to you.”

“You’re such a perv, Chloe Price.” The younger girl couldn’t help but giggle, even if her eyes were still a little misty from the earlier conversation. She felt hopeful for the first time since their Rachel talk began, and she started to get the sense they might really be a couple... eventually.

“It’s the company I keep? Ok, no, that doesn’t really work for you. But Max, if you knew how fucking hot you are, you’d be a perv for you too.” She was quickly growing warm and was thankful Chloe couldn’t see her red-faced. “Dammit I wish I could see your cute face turning red right now?” 

“I was just thinking,” Max welcomed any chance to change the subject, “why didn’t you call me after we jumped? You were awake for hours before me?”

“I wondered when you were gonna ask about that. Well, when I jumped back, I found myself lying in bed. David and Mom were standing over me asking a thousand questions. I was all like, 'fuuuuuuck!'. It took half an hour to get them out of my room without seeming like I just crossed through fucking time and space. When I realized it was morning, I figured you needed your sleep. It was tough not to call, but I want really to do the right thing now.”

“I’m changing, Max. I could feel it when we were at the lighthouse that last time, or times. Damn, I don’t know anymore. The point is your big dork-shaped heart is changing me so much. It took too long for me to realize it, but you’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. I never thought I was deserving of an unconditional love like yours, but shit, I fucking love you! Sorry, I’m talking so much. I’m a goop now too, Maximus.”

The younger girl giggled, “I love hearing you talk, Chloe, always have. Your voice is soothing and, well, it’s all I want to hear. Dammit, I wish you were with me.” Max wasn’t a big fan of cigarettes, but she couldn't stop thinking about the girl's smoky scent... and taste.

“Soon, my dear, soon. But for now, I need to pack. It’s a long drive and I need to stay the night, maybe two. I’ll quickly head straight for you when I return. OH SHIT, MAX!” She almost screamed. “I just remembered, it’s your parents. They got you something for your birthday. You should probably go check it out right away. Like, now! You’re gonna love it.” She could practically see the ear to ear grin on Chloe’s face through the phone.

“Please call and text me the entire time.” Max worried that her request made her seem too possessive or clingy, but the only thing she couldn’t think about was the road trip and not being able to see Chloe. After all they'd been through, she wanted to be with her friend more than anything.

“Max! They got you a fucking car, dude! A car! Go check your bag.” She clutched her navy blue and tan messenger bag, unstrapped it, and found a set of keys inside. “You were so excited last night, you texted me over and over again. You fucking cute bitch, I love when you get all excited. Ha!” The blue-haired girl cackled maniacally.

“Wowser,” the Max whispered. She rewound briefly to check and see if she still could, but also to hear Chloe call her a ‘fucking cute bitch’ again. She felt terrible using the power in that way, but the girl she loved was going to visit her ex-girlfriend soon, if she wanted to hear those affectionate words again, she would gladly do so. Although, it did send a chill through her soul knowing she could still rewind. She hoped it would go away once things were fixed.

“I’ll finish packing, you check out your new ride. I’ll call you when I hit the road, you damn dork. Deal?”

“Deal. And Chloe? Every second we’re not together, we’re wasting time. Sooooo, hurry your freakishly tall ass back! Talk soon.” Max couldn’t tell if her manufactured confidence fooled the girl, but she assumed probably not.

“Oh, a tall joke? Never thought you’d stoop to that level, Caulfield.” She made a puckered air-suck sound as if kissing the phone. “I love you, Long Max Silver.”

“I love you, Captain Bluebeard. Forever.”

“Forever.”

After ending the call, the freckled girl decided to take her new wheels for a spin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love cannot endure indifference. It needs to be wanted. Like a lamp, it needs to be fed out of the oil of another's heart, or its flame burns low. -Henry Ward Beecher


	3. Playing with Fire

Chloe: Spider Max! 

Chloe: Enjoying ya new wheels dude?

Chloe: Must be, stop ignoring me! >:-(

Max: NO EMOJI

Chloe: Har har! guess you’re rubbing off on me :-*

Chloe: That’s a kiss, yea?

Max: Ya, but I wish it was the real thing.

Chloe: Sooooooon! Should I add more ooooooooo’s?

Max: Maybe 1 or 2 XD

Chloe: Max, the drive to LA is 15 hours!!!

Chloe: Prolly gonna take 2 days at least. You OK with that?

Max: No

Max: Yes

Max: idk

Max: :*-(

Chloe: No crying. Call you when I leave. Need to hear your voice

Max: Wait, that’s at least 30 hours on the road! :*****(

Chloe: Damn Caulfield does that mean extra tears?

Chloe: NO CRYING!!

Chloe: Emojis are cool I guess. Hate it when you cry.

Chloe: Out the door now

Max: Call me!

Chloe: On it

The phone rang several times before Max picked up. She delayed answering not because she didn’t want to speak to Chloe, of course she did, she wanted to sound strong, not dejected and pathetic like she felt. But there would be no way of hiding it from her best friend. She cleared her throat then answered, “Why, hello there, Chloe Price.” She dropped her voice down an octave clearly attempting to sound brave.

“Maximus, what the hell was that?” The older girl scoffed. “I know you’re not happy about this, but I need you to understand.”

“I do understand, Chloe, honestly. I just feel like I can’t compete with someone like Rachel Amber. I’ve seen pictures and spoken with so many people about her. She’s gorgeous, funny, talented, smart...”

“Let me stop you right there.” Max could hear the truck's loud exhaust in the background. At least she thought it was the exhaust. She wasn't as vehicle savvy as her partner, she just knew it was noisy. Her ears struggled to keep Chloe’s words and the truck’s grumblings separate. “Shit, dude, you are every bit as funny, smart, talented, and gorgeous as Rachel. I really hope you realize it soon. She had, uh... HAS a confidence about her, and she’s got a way with people. If Rachel wanted it, she was going to get it. She’s cunning and crafty and...” 

Max wasn’t sure if Chloe’s talk was supposed to make her feel better, but it was having the opposite effect. All she heard were compliments aimed at Rachel, making her feel small and insignificant. “Rachel is amazing, I get it.”

“You didn't let me finish, dork!” Chloe barked. “She’s all those things... but she’s no Max Caulfield. She doesn’t even compare to you. I mean it, you’re literally perfect. As soon as you realize that shit and gain more confidence, you’re gonna be unstoppable.” The older girl paused and inhaled a deep, airy breath. “I prolly should’ve made it clear before, Maxter. I’m meeting Rachel for closure only. Period. Nothing more. I'm in no way interested in her beyond that. I'm sure she's crushing on someone in L.A. by now anyhow... and... well, I have you. She's only a friend. Just think of it as, um, just like, if you went to meet Warren for coffee or some shit.”

“It’s sooo different, Chloe, and you know it. I always saw Warren as a goofy, weirdo guy friend. You’ve made it clear to me that Rachel saved you and she was your angel. I feel silly being jealous, but it makes sense that I would be, right?” Max felt a bit crazy, but she also felt justified in her feelings. A couple of weeks ago, she didn't even know what true love felt like. Now she was anxious and hurt that her favorite person wants to spend time with someone she figured was her ex-girlfriend. At least she knew they were close friends, probably much more. 

“No, you’re right. Rachel and I have a... uhm... history, and she was, or is, very important to me. But you and I have so much more. We were kids together. You know, I even had a crush on you then…”

"No, you did not, Chloe Price,” Max interrupted.

“Oh, it’s damn true. I didn’t understand my feelings at the time, ya know? We were kids. But, looking back, it’s very obvious. Max, goddammit you’re the best thing that ever happened to me, you gotta know that by now.” This time the truck driver's voice sounded more serious and focused. “After all we’ve been through, it almost hurts that you don’t trust me.”

“It’s not about trusting you. It’s about not knowing HER, and it’s about knowing what she means to you. I asked like, everyone what they knew about Rachel Amber during our detective shit, and the stories I heard ranged from her being a manipulating druggy, to a sweet and loving saint. Also, we’ve never discussed our relationship, Chloe. I don’t know where we stand. It would probably be naïve to think we are exclusively... together, or girlfriends... or...” She trailed off. The last part sounded so weird coming from her lips. Not being exclusive with her, whatever they were, wasn’t something she wanted to think about. She'd never been in a real romantic relationship before. Her words repeated over and over in her head as a silence had fallen between the girls.

Finally breaking the silence, Chloe responded, “That’s fair. Let’s talk about our relationship. I was hoping to do this in person, but you deserve it right away. Right here, right now.” Her voice was a bit shaky, yet tender. She could be extremely caring and nurturing when she wanted to. “I remember kissing you, what... three times? A threesome of kisses... kinda. I know that’s complicated by some sort of timeline fusion shit or whatever the hell happened, but we’re still us. When we kiss, I feel this wave of electricity, like nothing else matters.”

“Those kisses,” Max cooed, remembering every taste and every groove of the girl's soft lips. "They felt... so damn good. Your touch makes me feel safe, Chloe."

“I know right?! Max, we’ve kissed, held each other, and fought the fucking time god himself to be together. I know you feel it too. There’s something happening between us that’s deep and sweet and hella fucking awesome! We’re Max and Chloe, dude!” Her excitement was building, and it felt amazing to hear her passion. The girl who was now in Seattle knew her best friend was right. Why was she so jealous? Why had she made this a ‘thing’? “We are very much exclusive. Just your bony, hippie ass and my extremely cool and badass... well, ass. Now and forever. You’re stuck with me, so deal with it biotch.”

The older girl drove Max crazy in a way that filled her heart to the brim with a cascading warmth. They were so very different, yet strangely a lot alike. Chloe was the yang to the freckled girl's yin, and it helped Max to hear the girl's love for her verbalized. “Chloe?” she asked as if it were a question. “You know what?”

“Chicken butt?” Chloe sneered then cackled maniacally.

“You drive me insane in the brain.”

“Hmm,” the girl with tats and ‘tude reflected. “If you start using my phrases, I’ll start using yours.”

“My… phrases? I don’t have any phrases.” She could feel an embarrassing nervousness warm her cheeks and hide her freckles behind blotches of crimson.

“Uh, yeah ya do, dork! Shall I list them?”

“You shall not.” Max felt her face growing even warmer. “Please don’t.”

“Oh, now I have to, fo sho. Let’s see... ‘Shaka Brah’, ‘Are you cereal?’, ‘Wowser’...”

“Stop! Please.” Max laughed so hard she snorted. “What about you?! ‘Hella’, ‘amazeballs’…

Chloe interrupted, “Wait. Just. A. Fucking. Minute. You use ‘hella’ and ‘amazeballs’ as much as I do now. I’m a good bad influence.” Max could tell her favorite was proud of herself. No doubt she had that patented Chloe Price 'I'm a badass bitch' smirk on her face. She was the smartest person Max knew; using humor and her sharp mind to entice a giggle from the brunette. After William passed, her grades slipped, and she was ultimately expelled from Blackwell. Max was a believer that grades in school didn’t properly reveal a person’s intelligence. Her partner-in-crime could turn a phrase so naturally. She was quick-witted and, when you couple that with her 'me against the world' attitude, she seemed like she could go toe to toe with anyone.

“MaxGyver? I don’t mean to upset the mood; we were vibing damn good. But we need to be able to share everything.” The shorter girl feared what Chloe was about to divulge. “The word ‘hella’ came from Rachel. I yoinked it from her and made it mine.”

Suddenly, Max felt a calming, almost euphoric wave flow through her body and the jealousy that she felt earlier mostly dissipated. She realized she had been looking at this entire situation all wrong. “Chloe, when you see Rachel, please thank her for me. She kept you safe and happy when I couldn’t, and she even gave us ‘hella’. Now that I think about it, hug her for me too. You wouldn’t be here and, well, you wouldn’t be YOU without her. I owe Rachel big time. She took my place when I was away. I at least owe her respect for being there for you.” Max considered that to be one of the darkest times in her life. Even though she knew her parents were mostly to blame for her lack of reaching out to Chloe, she secretly hated herself for not being more assertive and being there for the one person that mattered the most to her.

“Fuck you, Caulfield! Just when I think I can’t love you any more, you go and say some beautiful shit like that. You’re a goopy goop… and I love it!”

Max pressed her ear harder to the phone. “Why don't I hear your truck anymore?”

“I pulled over when our talk got more serious, not even out of The Bay yet,” she confessed.

“Chloe!” Max howled. “Get your ass going! The sooner you get there, the sooner you get to come back to me. I need to see you!” Her mind suddenly jumped back to the Rachel topic. “It just occurred to me; how are you going to approach Rachel? You know, she died, and we saw her body. Not to get morbid, but we did. It was shitty, but now she’s alive. You gotta act like nothing happened, right? And you really shouldn’t tell her about the rewind stuff. It might freak her out. We need to keep this between us. Our little secret.”

"Yeah, you’re prolly right. I’m not sure, though, guess I’ll play it by ear, sorta improv. Rachel and I used to do these dumb improv things a while back.” Max could still feel the better sting of jealousy, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized she just wished she had been around to see Chloe during that time. Her pirate captain must've been hella cute. “I was even in a play with her once. Well, sorta. Did I ever tell you that? Sorry, you said ‘act’ and I’m on my way to meet her. It made me think about that time in my life. She was, or IS, an amazing actress; sorta a drama queen to be honest."

Chloe cleared her throat then continued. “I want to tell you everything, Maxi Max, and I will. We’ll have tons of time to officially catch up when I get back. We have our entire lives, right? You should know more about my ‘Rachel years’ and I should know more about your ‘Seattle years’. Remember, we’re together forever. I'm never leaving you. Though, I need to keep some stories back, so you don’t get bored of my ass.”

“Never!" Max proclaimed. “I couldn't get bored of you if I tried.” She heard the engine turn and the truck roar back up.

“Welp, I guess I should call her and let her know I’ve left. And Super Max, please don’t worry. This is basically a bidness trip. Nothin' to it.”

“Who’s worried?” the hipster waggishly asked. “I trust you with everything, and I can’t wait to see you again. Like you said, when you get back things will be... what word did you use? Oh, yeah, ‘intense’. I can't wait for whatever that means.”

“You have no idea, Long Max Silver. Oh, just had a thought! Maybe we should dress up like pirates for our first time... naaah, prolly a bad idea.”

“CHLOE!!”

“You’re hot, I can’t help it.”

* * *

For the next couple of hours, Max combed through texts, emails, and social media posts, tweets, and status updates. She realized most everything seemed unexceptionally normal. It felt weird learning details about her life like she was somebody else. It was as if she was sitting outside of reality observing her own existence. The most interesting things she learned came after Chloe received the letter she wrote that her mom sent.

She had reached out to the other Max making damn sure she wouldn’t be ignored. She called her cell phone over a hundred times, messaged on Facebook, sent over 50 emails, and texted too many times to count. Max finally responded and apologized profusely. It was so cute to see their messages back and forth after being apart for so long. They sent each other selfies and talked on the phone periodically.

The scariest memory Max read about involved the Blackwell restroom. Chloe still owed Frank, the local drug dealer, a large sum of money, and she still got royally mixed up with Nathan Prescott. When she went to meet him in the restroom for a shakedown, however, she kept her cool, unlike before. Nobody pulled out a gun, nobody pulled any trigger, nobody was shot, and nobody needed to rewind. The other Max still ended up hiding in the corner, and she still took the photograph of a shimmering, blue butterfly as it landed on the metal cleaning bucket.

The letter she wrote during the photo jump was created under a heightened sense of urgency. She couldn't write every detail but wished she would have warned Chloe about this moment. She internally beat herself up for not thinking about this part. The moment in the Blackwell restroom might have been the single most important event of the storm week. Her focus was on quickly and correctly writing the minimum to save Rachel. What if she messed up and lost her favorite person? The ‘what ifs’ sent a thorny chill throughout her body.

Max desperately wanted to hear Chloe’s voice again but decided not to be the one to call. When her punk got bored of driving, she would pick up the phone; Max was sure of that. Plus, she didn't want to feel too clingy or needy. In the interim, she had a decision to make about what to do with her time during the week. She considered calling some of her old Seattle friends for coffee or tea, but it didn't really interest her. She rummaged around her room looking at photos and taking selfies in different poses. She knew she was only procrastinating and needed to follow up with that text she received, but her mind stirred with thoughts of her... girlfriend... on the road. She wasn't sure if thinking about Chloe as her girlfriend was correct, but it felt damn good.

Having put it off as long as she could, Max decided she had better deal with the message she previously received from an unknown sender. While piecing together the events that took place as she was in photo-jump la la land, she simply avoided it. Max knew it was something she needed to deal with on her own. Chloe hadn't brought it back up; she was too involved in her own dealings and was more tuned in to her own personal journey at the moment. The girls were starting down two separate paths, alone, both seeking answers.

She stared at the message for a moment, not knowing what to say, but she eventually replied. It didn't take long for a response to arrive, however.

Max: Who are you?

Unknown Sender: We have a lot to discuss.

Unknown Sender: Can we meet?

Max: No

Max: I don’t know you

Unknown Sender: I mean you no harm.

Unknown Sender: But we do need to talk.

Max: idk

Unknown Sender: Been searching for you for a while.

Unknown Sender: Tough tracking down a time traveler, though.

Unknown Sender: I’m close to you. In Oregon.

Unknown Sender: Wasn’t sure how to reach out without you getting creeped out.

Max: Def creeped out now.

Unknown Sender: I’m sorry.

Unknown Sender: It’s important we meet.

Max: why?

Unknown Sender: I had the power to rewind before you did.

Max: ...

Unknown Sender: Coffee in a public place. It’s all I ask.

Unknown Sender: Just talk

Max: Fine

Unknown Sender: 5pm tomorrow, anywhere you feel comfortable

Max: Seattle. Victrola Coffee Shoppe.

Unknown Sender: See you soon. Thank you.

Unknown Sender: Oh, and my name is Tom.

Max: Max

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you love something let it go free. If it doesn't come back, you never had it. If it comes back, love it forever. -Douglas Horton


	4. Before the Light of Day

Without bringing up Rachel, the two girls chatted on and off over the next several hours. Chloe mentioned wanting to visit her aunt, who lived in Eugene, and if she wasn’t on such a tight time crunch to get back, she would probably divert her plans for a quick visit. She didn’t stop much on her trip, only to use the restroom a few times and swing by a drive through or two when her stomach wouldn't stop growling.

Eventually, she grew weary and pulled over near a Sacramento rest stop to sleep in her truck. The front of the vehicle was big enough for her to lay comfortably, and it wasn't the first time she used the long, cushioned seat as a bed. Chloe cautioned Max to be on her guard during the meeting with Tom, and she urged her partner-in-time to wait for her to return so she could be by her side. Just as the older girl needed to go on this road trip for personal closure, Chloe realized the younger girl needed to learn more about her power. She seemed optimistic about the meeting but also cautious. Chloe was worried but knew when Max made up her mind, she was hard to convince otherwise. Plus, she would be a damn hypocrite if she pushed too hard about her best friend's decision. In the back of her mind, she was concerned that she might have made a big mistake choosing to see Rachel before seeing Max, but she didn't want the girl to know she was having second thoughts. The trip needed to happen and she needed closure. Period. 

The blue-haired driver trekked down the coast inching closer towards her destination. As she continued south along I-5, she noticed the signs that informed travelers to exit if they were headed to Big Sur State Park. She always knew she would take this road trip one day; she only imagined her best friend would be right beside her enjoying the experience too. She wondered what would have happened if they had stolen Frank’s RV that day and just took off. It was another “what if” that crossed her mind involving California.

Rachel and Chloe planned to escape Arcadia Bay together several years back. She wasn’t completely convinced her gorgeous, hazel-eyed friend really wanted to leave with her, but they made secret plans regardless. They considered maybe going to New York, Los Angeles, or nowhere in particular, just traveling around like gypsies. Rachel’s heart, though, was set on L.A., as she wanted to begin her professional acting career there at some point. It was strange looking back now; they were only young teens when they made those ambitious plans. As childish as it seemed to consider running away now, Chloe would have left with her in a heartbeat, but was beginning to wonder if fate kept her in Arcadia Bay specifically for Max's return. All she knew was she couldn't wait to be back and spend time with her favorite little time traveler.

Memories began to rattled around and through the girl's mind the closer she got to her destination. Her stomach was churning, and the anxious and jittery bouncing of her legs wouldn't seem to stop. The metal music she was blaring couldn't drown out the noise in her mind. She was either nervous to see Rachel again, or the traffic was starting to get to her. It was probably a combination of both; L.A. traffic was horrible, and the last time she saw Rachel, her body was rotting in the ground in the junkyard. She played it cool with Max but was indeed terrified to see her friend again.

Rachel texted Chloe the address for their meet up spot before she left. The actress wanted to connect in a park near West Hollywood, and since construction was taking place almost everywhere near her loft, parking was atrocious. Rachel said she planned to spend their time leisurely strolling around the city so they could catch up. It would be nice to just spend time with the girl she thought was dead.

Chloe finally pulled up to a parking meter on the perimeter of the park, paid the specified amount in coins, and then noticed a stunning beauty sitting on a bench about one hundred feet from her truck. The blonde stood up with one hand in the air and motioned for her to come over.

When the taller girl arrived at the bench, Rachel casually remarked, “Chloe Price.” Her eyes were half-squinted like she was beginning an examination, arms crossed at her chest.

“Rachel Amber." Chloe coyly responded, her voice cracking a bit as she spoke.

“I cannot believe you still have that damn rust bucket. How did you not break the hell down driving all this way here?” Rachel moved her hands to her hips, looking as confident as ever with a smirk on her face that informed the world she was knew she was the queen. The girl wore a purple flannel button-down over a black spaghetti-strapped tee. The charm hanging in the middle of her silver necklace was indigo and matched her choker and bracelets. Chloe thought she looked exactly like she remembered, except for her choice of earrings. Diamond studs glimmered from both ears, rather than her patented blue feather. “You really should have flown.”

“Where’s your feather?” Chloe asked, reaching up gingerly stroking the side of the girl’s flawless face where her earring used to hang. Her skin felt silky and soft, the way she remembered. Part of her wanted to extend her pointer finger and just poke Rachel to make sure she was real and not part of some fucked up dream. In her mind, she was freaking out, and she was proud of her self for acting calm in light of the situation. Her head was telling her that this girl was dead weeks ago, but she pushed those thoughts out so her emotions wouldn't take control.

“It’s somewhere safe,” she playfully responded, grabbing Chloe's arm and pulling her in for a hug. She squeezed the taller girl around the waist, and buried her head in her stomach, clearly delighted to see her friend, almost knocking the girls to the ground in the process. “God, I love your hair. I remember when you first colored it. I thought it was super fucking hot.” Still holding her waist with one arm, Rachel tiptoed and ran the fingers of her free hand through the strands just above Chloe’s ears. The blue-haired girl adored the pleasant sensation, feeling similar to how it did when they were younger.

“And now?” Chloe teased, eyes closed and enjoying Rachel’s gentle touch; she smelled like jasmine, per usual.

“Still hot,” Rachel confirmed with a whisper that vibrated her earlobe just slightly sending an electric cascading shiver through her body. Letting go of the hug, Rachel nudged Chloe with her shoulder. “I’ve hella missed you, Miss Price.”

Nervously reaching up and touching the back of her head, Chloe returned the nudge before responding. “Feels like I haven’t seen you in ages, and I miss you too, so damn much, Rach.”

Grabbing Chloe’s arm and interlocking it with her own at the elbow, the shorter girl turned the pair around and towards the sidewalk. “Do you want to get some coffee, maybe some ice cream? There’s this totally cute spot a few blocks from here.”

“Can actresses even eat ice cream? Don’t you all count your carbs or some shit?” the punk giggled.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Chloe, but you’re the only one of us that’s gained any weight.” Rachel reached down and pinched Chloe's stomach on her side.

“Geez, thanks a lot bitch.” She instinctually pulled out her pack and lit one of her last remaining cigarettes, disregarding the no smoking signs placed around the park.

Laughing to herself, the blonde mischievously responded, “It’s a good thing. The last time we saw each other, you were skin and bones. But now? Mmm, nice curves.” Chloe noticed the girl move her head backwards to glance at her ass before dramatically licking her lips. “Let’s get some coffee and ice cream. We can come back to the park after.”

“I’m used to you searching for pot and alcohol, now you’re wanting coffee and ice cream? Who are you and what have you done with Rachel Amber?”

The flannel-clad girl titled her head upward and thought for a moment, finally responding, “Chloe, I think I’ve changed and it’s because of you. I know it took a while to convince me, but moving out of Arcadia Bay was the best thing I’ve ever done. I wonder if I would have been caught up in that Jefferson shit. Not surprised at all Nathan and his bullshit were involved.”

“How did you convince your parents to let you come out here on you own anyway?” the weary traveler questioned. Then she remembered she didn't know many details about Rachel and what happened around that time. Abruptly she recalled looking through her phone after she and Max's photo jump. It occurred to her the girl that she and Rachel spoke many times and for sometimes hours at a time. Her questioning something like that might seem extremely odd.

“Are you kidding me, Chloe?” the blonde snapped, shooting Chloe the stink eye. “You know you helped me convince them and shit. I can’t believe my dad didn’t have you arrested after what you said to him.” Eyes wide and mouth gaping, Chloe didn't know what to think. It hadn’t occurred to her that she might have been involved at that level.

“Oh, yeah. I was just… uh, joking around.” Rachel tilted her head looking at her friend like she was studying a script. Chloe knew the girl could see through her bullshit. She had a talent for being able to know when someone was telling the truth or lying, but she did not say anything if she noticed. They continued along the sidewalk, still locked at the arms, without speaking for several minutes. Feeling awkward, Chloe decided to break the silence, “It’s nice Rachel we’re having,” followed by a cheesy ear to ear grin.

After a moment, the two girls erupted in laughter. “Classic Chloe Price!” Rachel exclaimed. “You were damn cute during our train ride. You were different than anybody I had ever met. I had such a hard-on for you.”

“Shut your damn face, Rachel Amber. We both know I had more feelings for you than you did for me. It wouldn’t have lasted between us. You were never the ‘settling down’ type anyway.” Chloe bent down, bracing her self on the ground, and snuffed out her cigarette on the concrete. Her heart thumped like it might crash through her chest. This was the type of conversation she wanted to have when she thought about ‘closure’ with Rachel.

The drama queen considered for a few seconds, then agreed. “You’re right. I wasn’t in a good spot in my life for anything stable. I didn’t know who I was, and I mostly only cared about partying, alcohol, drugs, girls, guys, whatever floated my boat in the moment. I did care about you though, more than any one person, and I know you knew that.”

“Yeah, I did. But you didn’t have to mess around with Frank. That was low.”

“Frank is a good guy, Chloe. We really cared about each other. He’s been in some dark places, seen some shit. But I wouldn’t call him ‘low.’”

“No, you dumdum, I know Frank’s a good guy. You not telling me was pretty fucked up. Yeah, I would have been against it, but we’ve always been open and honest with each other, you hid that from me. I would have never hidden anything from you.”

“Chloe, you knew me better than anybody… EVER! You saw my flaws and loved me anyway. Yes, we kissed, and fooled around a bit, but I never showed you the total love you showed me. I was always after the next best high.” Chloe pulled her in to her chest and slid around a corner so nobody would see her friend in tears.

“Rachel, I…” she was interrupted.

“I’m sorry, let me pull myself together. I just. Just…” She wiped her face and attempted to look like she was fine. “Your truck might not make it back to Oregon, why don’t you stay with me tonight. Maybe longer than tonight.” The confident girl knew she looked cute with her head tilted to the side like a puppy dog.

“Rachel, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

Seemingly refreshed, the impulsive beauty pulled Chloe out of the alley and into the ice cream shop. “We’re here. We can talk later, it’s ice cream time!” She seemed genuinely excited about the sweet treat. “You have to try my favorite - Cotton Candy Explosion.” She scanned her eyes around the shop and expressed, “Isn’t this place stinking cute?”

The pair ordered, paid, then began to stroll back towards the park, enjoying their desserts as they walked. Rachel went on and on about how much she loved Los Angeles, and she seemed to fit in well. She had an audition scheduled in the morning for a voice acting part in some highly anticipated video game that Chloe never heard of. She'd only been in California for a half-dozen months, and in that time, she was selected for a few stage acting roles. Rachel was doing quite well. The voice acting spot would be contracted, which meant she would have steady work for nearly a full year, and the listed pay was nice.

When they returned to the park, they sat down at a bench. Rachel snuggled up to her friend, laying her blonde head on the punk’s shoulder. She looked up, grabbed two hands full of blue hair and casually kissed her on the cheek. “The last couple of hours have been great, Chloe. It’s felt like old times, just in a more mature ‘I’m not trying to get fucked up’, kind of way.” Chloe laughed harder than maybe she should have.

When she opened her eyes after the laughter subsided, in one quick movement, Rachel straddled her, grabbed her face, and pressed their lips together. She tried to speak, “Rachel, no, I can’t I’m in love with M...” But the moment had set in. The kiss was deep, and it lasted several moments. Chloe knew this wasn’t the first time they’d kissed, but it might have been the most... intense.

At the thought of the word ‘intense’ Chloe squealed and pushed Rachel off, shoving her to the grass. She hastily jumped up and started running towards her truck. “Fuck. FUCK. Goddamit! Fuuuuck!” she screamed. “What have I done?”

“Chloe!” Rachel called as her friend turned the ignition and floored the gas pedal.

She ran two red lights, almost hit a pedestrian, and nearly wrecked several times. She pulled into a gas station, parked the truck, got out, and ran to the wooded area between the station and a local restaurant. The world was rapidly spinning around and going way too fast. Bending over, she grabbed a shrub and everything she had eaten that day came back up, which was mostly fast food and ice-cream. “She trusted me. Fuck!”

Her mind toiled and reeled, her stomach twisted in knots. She fucked things up again. Why did she always fuck up? She would have to tell Max. “Fuck! What do I say?

“Max, I’m garbage. Rachel and I made out on a park bench. SHIT!” …

“I promise, it didn’t mean anything, but Rachel tried to kiss me. Well, she did kiss me, and I kissed her back. FUCK!” …

“Max, I need to tell you something, I cheated on you with Rachel. DAMMIT!” …

She couldn’t help but pace around witlessly, thinking about breaking Max’s heart. “This is going to destroy her. She feared something like this would happen and chose to trust me anyway.” Chloe knew how Max was going to react. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and

Getting back in the truck she pulled out of the gas station and hit the road. Instead of closure, Chloe managed to open a can of worms. The thought of not telling Max never crossed her mind. She would have to beg for forgiveness, but not on the phone – in person. Her little hipster deserved that much at least.

Chloe had a full day’s drive to think about what just happened. How could Max ever trust her again? She knew she’d been tricking herself. She even started believing the things Max would tell her. She began to believe she deserved to be happy, and the bad things in her life just sort of happened, and they weren’t her fault. That belief went up in flames. She knew she was the fuck up and the cause of her own pain, but hated she was the reason for perfect, amazing Max’s broken heart.

“Goddammit, I love you Max! Please forgive me!”

Not five minutes down the road, Chloe’s phone started ringing. It was Rachel. She didn’t particularly want to take the call, but knew she needed to. “Rachel.”

“What the fuck, Chloe! I thought we were having a great time together, why did you run away?” Her voice was stern and lined with hurt.

“I’m sorry, Rachel. I tried to tell you, but everything happened so fast.”

“Tell me what?” Her inflection was unsympathetic and harsh.

“I’m in love with someone else. I wanted to tell you, fuck. She’s my everything.”

“I wish you would have said something earlier. I mean, I was there too. You were giving off signals, and I couldn’t resist you. I felt your tongue in my mouth. It wasn’t just ME kissing YOU. That’s not something you do when you’re in love with someone else.”

Chloe felt ashamed and attacked. “I’m a fuck up, have we met? That’s so easy to say now, Rachel. I was in love with you once. I would have run away from Arcadia Bay back then, but you didn’t feel the same. You came around when you wanted to feel loved. Or when you were drunk or high and needed attention. You knew I was sitting by the phone just waiting on your call. It broke me. Then, when you went missing, I felt empty. It was a fucking nightmare I couldn’t wake up from!”

“What are you talking about, Chloe? When I went missing?”

“I mean… uh, when you left.”

“You helped me leave! I thought it was what you wanted.”

The taller girl felt her back was against the wall. She needed to tell Rachel about Max; she still needed more closure. “Let’s go get that coffee, Rach. I’m sorry I ran out, but I have a lot to tell you. Will you meet me somewhere?”

Rachel didn't respond for several seconds. “You’re acting hella weird, and I’d appreciate a fucking explanation. So, yes.”

“Send me an address and I’ll meet you there.” Chloe turned the truck around and started towards the coffee shop. This time she would come straight out and just be honest from the beginning. She wished more than anything she would have told Rachel about Max from the get-go. She felt ashamed, embarrassed, saddened, gross, and many other emotions that complicated her thoughts.

“Max, I’m so sorry. It didn’t mean anything. I’ll make it up to you, you’ll see. I am so in love with your picture-perfect ass!”

A sudden thought occurred to the truck driver, her feelings were not directed at Rachel. Upon reaching the destination, she closed her eyes to remember the kiss. She fled so quickly she didn’t have time to unpack what she had just experienced. From her memory, she had her tongue in that freckled dork’s mouth. “That’s it!” she howled. She hadn’t felt anything for Rachel, nothing! In her mind, she had just made out with Max.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every time you fall down or take the wrong path, it isn't wasted. You will surely develop and grow over time. -Natsuki Takaya
> 
> Thank you for the swift kick in the pants this week, [Jibbypuff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jibbypuff/pseuds/Jibbypuff)!


	5. A Way With Words

Chloe was already inside the coffee shop when Rachel walked in. “You’re not about to burn down a forest, are you?” Chloe said behind a playful grimace. “The last time I saw that look in your eyes...”

“Chloe, what’s going on?” Rachel looked furious and demanded answers. The girl was stunning, but when she got fired up, she became ferocious.

“First, I need to do something. This is for Max.” The bluenette walked up and casually gave her fiery friend a hug. “She wanted me to tell you, ‘thank you’. Thank you for saving me and keeping me safe while she was in Seattle.”

The blonde’s eyebrows were pulled downward, and her shoulders thrust upward. “So, this is the same Max who deserted you when you were kids?”

Without pause, Chloe proclaimed, “That’s the one! She’s my person, Rach.” She took a deep breath, held it for a couple of seconds, and exhaled. “Let’s sit and talk. There’s so much more I need you to know.”

Rachel joined her at a booth near the coffee prep area. “You’re dating Max, is that all you want to tell me?”

“No,” the taller girl answered, “That’s not even half of what I need to say.” The girls faced directly across from one another. Chloe reached forward and grabbed Rachel’s right hand, cupping it between both of hers. She pulled away at first, then reluctantly allowed her hand to be held.

“I love you, Rach. You mean so much to me. You came into my life exactly when I needed. My father died, Max moved away, and I was in a very, very dark place. You made life feel worth living again. I’ll never be able to express what our time together means to me.” She felt a sense of clarity wash through her, like a feeling of renewed confidence. She knew what she needed to tell the blonde; she just wasn’t sure exactly how to do it.

Chloe released the actress’s hand. “I need to tell you a story that you’re gonna think is hella insane in the brain. But I promise, it’s true. Just trust me.” Rachel’s left eyebrow was arched up with a look of intrigue.

“Well, I did trust you until whatever that shit was today in the park.” Her partial smirk let Chloe know she was ready to forgive her. They’d been through a ton together and could still read each other’s mannerisms like a book. “You’re so stinking hot right now.”

“Stop that, down girl. Just let me talk for a while to try and get my thoughts out, save your questions until the end. I’d be a good college professor, yeah?”

“You’re adorable, Professor Price. It definitely has a nice ring to it.”

“OK. So, uh, you know Max and I met each other when we were kids. You know we were inseparable then, and you know we played pirates literally all the time. Remember, you made fun of me for the pirate stuff? Anyway, then my dad died, and her mom and dad took her away from Arcadia Bay - away from me. Those are the things you know about us.”

Rachel shook her head. “I also know she totally ghosted you when you needed her the most.” Her words felt venomous but not completely untrue.

“Yeah, that was… tough. She still beats herself up nearly every day because of it. Come to find out, it wasn’t even her fault. Her parents cut us off and practically forced her to disappear on me.” Sticking out her tongue, Chloe added, “No comments until the end of the lecture, Miss Amber!”

She didn’t really know how to bring up the whole time travel thing, so she just continued. “Max is… special. See, there was this note…. no, not that yet. Maybe, no.” She was rambling. “Ok, I got it.” She realized she would have to start at the actual beginning. It seemed to be the only way she would even have a remote shot at convincing her of the truth. 

“Remember how earlier I sorta said you were missing? Well, you were. You were drugged and killed by Nathan Prescott. He didn’t mean to; it was an overdose… thing. You WERE caught up in the Jeffershit stuff, and I posted flyers all over town searching for you. But Max and I found your body buried in the junkyard. It was horrible, Rach, a goddamn nightmare!” Chloe was sure her friend had no idea her mouth was hanging open. There is no way she believed the story so far, but she had to continue. Maybe the tears in her eyes at least confirmed she wasn’t joking.

“Nathan also tried to pull me into that shit, but I luckily got the hell outta there. I saw it as an opportunity to blackmail him and get some cash. I owed Frank nearly 3k at the time. So, I asked him to meet me in the girl’s restroom at Blackwell. He brought a gun and shot me. I can still feel bullet clawing and burning its way through my body. Everything slowed to a snail’s pace. The pain was replaced with this deep, freezing chill. God, it was so cold!” She wiped the moisture from her cheeks. “I died on the fucking floor, Rachel.”

“So, now we’re both dead?” Rachel denounced. “Chloe, are you on fucking drugs?” It made perfect sense she wouldn’t believe her outrageous story. It sounded ridiculous even to her. She heard the words coming out of her mouth and hardly believed what she was saying.

“Oh, this is the part of the story where our superhero shows up. Max Caulfield has this… power. She can rewind time, and I know how crazy that sounds, but it’s true. She was in the restroom that day. Max rewound and saved me from being shot. She used her power to go back and save you too. Here’s the kicker, Rachel.” She leaned in close to the actress, lowering her voice. “She went back to save you knowing how much I cared about you. She’s in love with me, not sure why, but she put her happiness on the line for your safety. How amazing is that? Max is… well… she’s incredible.”

Squinting and shaking her head, Rachel was in disbelief. “I don’t know what to say, Chloe. Are you telling me the friend that ghosted you showed up years later at the exact right time, with a superpower and saved your life, then saved mine?”

The blue-haired girl cut her eyes left then right, an impish grin forming on her lips, then said, “Yep, pretty much. And for some of us more than once.” She filled in the details over the next two hours. The girls ordered coffees and discussed everything from time travel and photo jumping, to Max’s big heart and the letter that saved Rachel’s life. The blonde asked questions as an attempt to get the story straight. Eventually, she seemed convinced that Chloe believed everything she was saying. She still didn’t know if her friend was convinced.

“So, if the two timelines were merged, why don’t I remember anything besides leaving Arcadia Bay? Wouldn’t I also remember the Nathan/Jefferson stuff? This is a little hard to wrap my brain around, Chloe. I’m just… I don’t know.”

“I’m still learning the rules and everything, but I think because I photo jumped with Max, we’re the only two who remember both realities. I’m not totally sure. It took me some time to process, but when I saw it with my own eyes, the proof was in the pudding, as they say. Max is just so amazeballs!”

“The way your face lights up when you speak about her. Damn, Chloe, I feel like a fool. You’ve got it bad for her don’t you?”

With a silly sideways smirk on her face, the taller girl simply nodded. 

“Do you have a picture; I don’t even remember what she looks like?”

“I think I showed you a photo maybe once. Back then, you were my future and she was my past. Oh, idea. I have some on my phone, but let’s get a new one.” Chloe smiled, pulled out her phone, and send her girlfriend a text.

Chloe: Hey beautiful!!

Max: CHLOE! <3 <3 <3 How’s the trip?

Chloe: Send me a selfie, it’s for Rachel.

Chloe: OR… we should Facetime!

Max: Oh dog, do I have to?

Max: I’m about to meet Tom.

Chloe: Shit I forgot about that

Chloe: Be careful, Max!

Max: Promise.

Chloe: Send a quick pic

Max: Fine

“Shit, Rach, did you feel that?”

“No, what?”

“I dunno… like the earth stopped spinning then started again. Like a mini earthquake or something.”

“Are you so in love with this girl that she moves the earth?”

“There’s a damn good chance. But, really, you didn’t feel it?”

“Nope.”

Max: Sent

Chloe: Whoa, you’re actually smiling! :-D

Max: Am I trying too hard? Don’t wanna disappoint Rachel.

Chloe: Never. She says hi btw

Max: Did you thank her for me?

Chloe: Yea, of course

Chloe: Can’t wait to see you

Max: Talk soon <3

Chloe: Not soon enough!

Max: Love you

Chloe: Love you too, dork

Chloe held the phone up for Rachel to see. “Feast your eyes!” She wondered how Max would react if she could see her bragging. It was always cute to see her tiny shoulders slump and her face turn bright red.

“She’s gorgeous, Professor Price. No wonder you like her. But, you know, you sort of have a type now.” She had that confident, playful look in her hazel, almond eyes. 

“I do not.” Chloe folded her arms and pouted.

“Yeah, you have a thing for girls who are stunningly, drop-dead beautiful,” Rachel smirked and tossed her hair to the side.

“Yeah, well I can’t help myself. It’s not like I’ve ever gone out of my way to find hotties to hook up with. They kinda find me,” the professor teased with a wink.

“Ah, so now girls are just throwing themselves at you? I mean, I can see why. You’re the hottest out of all three of us.” The actress tapped her finger on her chin several times. “Hmm. Most of my wilder days are behind me, but what are your thoughts about, well, the three of us, ya know…”

“Rachel, no! I mean, yeah, I’ve thought about it… while alone…” Chloe’s face was glowing red. “But, no.”

“Is Chloe Price blushing? Maybe we should let Max decide for herself. How could she resist both of us? After my 6am audition tomorrow, I’ll be free for like a week. I could come meet her in person and see what she thinks about it.” The blonde’s arms were crossed, and the expression on her face informed Chloe she meant what she was saying, though also joking… probably.

After a few seconds of eyeing each other, the punk finally responded, “That’s not a bad idea, in a way. No, not THAT part. I just think a Max and Rachel meeting is long overdue. It would be fantastic. She’s my everything, you’d love her to pieces.” Remembering the kiss, Chloe’s face went flush. “I’m scared, Rach. Max was worried I’d fall for you again but trusted me. I drove my tired ass all the way here to see you alive again. I know that sounds weird to you, but I don’t know how to tell her about what happened, but I have to. She deserves to know everything.”

Rolling her eyes and huffing, Rachel dryly offered her opinion. “Take it from me, the sooner you tell her the better. If something lingers between family members, or people you care about, it will do more damage long term. Think of it like ripping off the Band-Aid.”

“I’m not sure how to say it. Everything happened pretty damn fast, as you remember?”

“Do it in person, at least, as soon as you get back, and be honest. I made the move and you pushed me off. Right on my ass, I might add. Chloe, if you light up when you look at her the way you do when you talk about her, she’ll understand. I can see the way the corners of your lips curve up when you say her name. If she is even half the amazing person you make her out to be, you have nothing to worry about. Not gonna lie, though, I wish you’d choose to stay with me. But it’s obvious how much you care for the girl. If you’re happy, I’m happy for you.”

Delighted and relieved by Rachel’s words, Chloe got up and slid in the booth on the same side as her friend. The girls shared a side hug. “It’s great to hear you say that, Rach. I am very happy. Max has this huge heart, and she’s… god, I dunno! She’s made her fair share of mistakes. None of it matters, though, she’s my perfect person. Dammit, I’m all mushy now in my old age.”

“You’ve always been mushy. You just hid it behind your tough punk image for so long you feel like it’s not who you are, but it is. Plus, you’re hardly old. You’ll be twenty soon. Your best days are ahead of you. I just hope I can be a part of those days one way or another.” The sincerity in her voice made Chloe smile.

“Ideally, you, me, and Max will all be able to be friends and hang out together. That’s in the utopian world in my mind. But you’ll be a big-time movie star soon and you’ll forget all about us little people.” She nudged the actress with her elbow, who returned with a playful, open hand push nearly knocking her out of the booth.

Realizing the time, Chloe knew she needed to go back. “It’s getting late and I have a full day’s drive ahead of me.”

“Feels like you just got here. Do you have to leave so soon? You can stay the night with me. I promise I won’t try anything on you, unless…” Her smile was more of a simper. But Chloe knew she would give her space if she stayed.

“I really can’t. After what happened in the park, I’m already going to have to earn Max’s trust back. If I stay the night, she might never forgive me.”

“She will forgive you, Chloe. Come on! It will be better than sleeping in your truck again. I share a loft, so I only have the one bedroom. You can sleep in my bed or on the couch. I will tell you, my bedsheets are Egyptian cotton.” She raised her eyebrows up and down several times.

“Hmm,” the truck driver considered. “Naah, the couch sounds great. Thank you for being cool about this. I’ll sleep for a few hours then be on my way.”

“I have to show you my new tattoo before you go to sleep,” the guileful girl asserted. “I know you’ll love it.” Tattoos were a bonding mechanism for the girls a few years back. Rachel helped Chloe pick out the yellowed skull portion of her tattooed arm. The sleeve consisted of butterflies and flowers, and Rachel insisted the skull be included.

“Oh, new ink? Can’t wait to see it.” Chloe yawned, realizing how tired she was from the drive and lack of rest. “Can we go back to your place now? I’d really like to go ahead and lie down.”

“Yeah, of course. But you won’t get any sleep on the couch, it’s super early. There will be folks in and out. And in L.A., some people are just getting up and going out now. You can lie down in my bed and I’ll wake you when I go to sleep.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She was more tired than she thought. The idea of those Egyptian cotton sheets against her body sounded great. “Rach, mind if I also shower?” The blonde shook her head.

The two friends left the coffeehouse with a destination for the loft. On the way, Chloe thought about calling Max, but figured her (hopefully still) girlfriend would call her when she was ready.

Once they arrived, they headed straight for Rachel’s room. She shut the door, removed her shirts and top, and proceeded to show the punk her new ink. It stretched across the top half of her back, from one shoulder to the other. It was a doe set against a background of flames with elegant lilac and sapphire coloring, not unlike her visitor’s hair. Beneath it, on a scroll banner, the words in inch blocks read: EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

After her shower, Chloe had her final smoke and chatted with her friend and loft mates for a little bit on the balcony. Before long, the bluenette was back inside and snuggled beneath the expensive sheets. She looked forward to the long drive because she would finally get to see her little superhero the next day. Rachel considerately made sure her friend was tucked in, then she left to go to a party with her loft mates.

The blue-haired visitor set her alarm to vibrate and put the phone on her chest so she wouldn’t miss any notifications. Once asleep, she had very disjointed and incoherent dreams; mainly Max and Rachel’s faces swirling around amongst different fragmented scenarios.

Sometime during her slumber, she rolled over from her back to her side. The phone slid from her shirt and down between the wooden frame of the bed and the mattress, which practically muted any vibrations she would have felt. One missed alarm, eight missed calls, ten unread texts, and 12 hours later, Chloe was still passed out.


	6. Time Junkie

The new car scent smelled fantastic. It reminded her of a time back in Seattle when her dad brought home a company car a few weeks after moving from Oregon. Rather than using a borrowed vehicle, Max was given a brand-new car for her birthday. The silver four-door sedan rated high in driver and passenger safety, which was a high priority for the Caulfields. 

For most of her life, Max’s parents sheltered her. She was their only child, and they considered her safety their highest priority. By giving her a car, it showed not only they trusted their daughter, but they were willing to let go some as she grew up and slipped into adulthood. 

She pulled up to the Victrola street front and parked near the restaurant entrance. Only three other cars were parked near the orange and teal building, which made Max slightly nervous. The coffee house trendily had square and rectangle glass windows in the front, so Max had clear visibility. There were two girls sipping their beverages around a round two-person table near the midway point between the entrance and the restrooms in the back. Two employees were behind the bar, one cleaning dishes and the other wiping the countertops with a rag. 

A guy named Tom sent Max a text before the two timelines merged. In a way, the message helped encourage her. It was the sign she needed to go through with the photo jump. He knew how to locate her, too, which might have been the scariest part. Finding someone else who understood the power was equally exciting and frightening.

Max sat and waited in the parking lot, intentionally arriving early. She decided she would wait in the car until the mystery guy pulled up. The sedan had a CD slot, but she secretly wished for a tape deck. She’d been listening to an indie mix of newer and older artists. 

While loading a new CD, she felt her phone vibrate. It was a text from Chloe. The indie music enthusiast was excited to hear from her girlfriend; it had been hours since they last spoke. It still felt weird thinking about her as her ‘girlfriend’, she had always just been ‘Chloe’. Now that they were exclusive and admitted having romantic feelings for each other, she assumed she would have to accept the label.  
  
Chloe asked her to send a selfie so she could show Rachel. After reminding Chloe of her meeting with Tom, Max realized she hadn’t captured a shot of the new car yet. Positioning herself in front, near the hood, she smiled and took the selfie with her new car in the background. “That’ll do,” she thought. “I hope Rachel likes me.”

“Do you take pictures of yourself often?” a strange voice asked from behind, startling the photographer causing her phone to nearly tumble to the ground. She quickly turned to face the man.

“Tom?” she asked, although she knew the answer.

“Yes, and you’re Max. It’s lovely to meet you.” He stretched his trembling arm forward holding his hand out for an appropriate greeting. After shaking, the man continued, “Let’s get some coffee and chat. I know you have questions.” He reminded her a little of Warren, though more proper, a few years older, and spoke with a southern drawl. He had to be in his mid to late twenties and wore a casual mix of a grey hoodie, blue jeans, black dress shoes, and a two-prong belt. 

Once inside, they ordered their beverages, Tom paying for both, and sat down at the high top nearest the doors. Max resisted eye contact until they were sitting. She sent Chloe a couple of texts then placed the phone and her bag on the table. 

To Max, this wasn’t a social call. She didn’t want to be there any longer than necessary. If this man knew more about her powers, though, it was worth a conversation. Channeling her inner Captain Blue Beard, Max decided to be direct. “So… who are you, what do you want, and how did you find me?”

Tom snickered. “You sound a lot like me when I was your age.” She couldn’t quite place his accent but figured he must be from somewhere down south. “I guess we should get right to this, yeah?” His hands were slightly jittering. His pointer and thumb on one hand consecutively rubbed all five fingertips on the other hand. Then the hands switched and repeated the rubbing sequence.   
  
“That would be ideal,” the brunette responded. When the man noticed her looking at his hands, he lowered them down off the table then grabbed his coffee and took a sip, attempting to hide the fidgets. 

“Did you know butterflies see in a range of ultraviolet colors that are invisible to humans?” Tom asked, obviously attempting to divert Max’s attention. “Their normal eyesight is quite poor; they can’t see more than a few feet in front of them.” He had this distant look in his eyes, almost like he was looking through and past her.

Max squinted growing more cautious each moment. “No, I wasn’t aware,” she slowly responded. “Is everything alright, Tom?”

“Yes, yes. If I can remember correctly, I’ll tell you what you need to know. But first,” he nervously looked around the restaurant, “Did you let the devastation happen?”

“Devastation? You mean the storm?” the photographer asked.

“Keep your voice down. Yes, sure, the storm.” Tom apprehensively replied.

“Well, yes and no, I think. The town is safe, and Chloe is safe. It’s like I chose both… somehow. Maybe?” She didn’t know why or how it happened exactly.

Tom scratched his head. “How can that be? How could you choose both? It’s supposed to be one or the other.”

“How do you know all of this?” Max questioned. 

“Answer me!” Tom impatiently yelled, slamming his hand on the table, starling Max as well as himself. Their beverages nearly toppled over. One of the other patrons and both employees looked in their direction. “I’m sorry.” He gathered himself. “I just don’t understand. It’s always been one or the other, not both. I knew something… different had happened.”

Max timidly pled, “Can I ask you something?” The man in the grey hoodie responded with a forward motioning hand signal indicating her request was acceptable. “You said you had the rewind power before me, what happened?”

“The power leaves once the purpose is fulfilled.” The man ran his fingers through his short, dark brown hair mumbling to himself.

“What purpose? What am I supposed to do?”

“You must save everyone. Make the choice for the greater good. I dunno what that means for you, I just know I let my girlfriend die, now I’m fucked up. I was unsure what would happen and just assumed I could rewind again after I saw the outcome. Yeah, I saved the mall with those parents and all those kids in it from disaster, but as soon as Vera died, the power to rewind was gone. Fuck!” He slammed his hand on the table again. “Mental shifting was gone, too.” Tom didn’t seem to worry about the volume of their voices anymore.

“Mental shifting?” Max had never heard the phrase.

“Yeah,” Tom squinted, seeming to come out of a daze. “You know, when you think about a memory and your mind teleports back to that spot for a brief time?” 

“Oh! Like photo jumping.” Max lit up. Despite his peculiar personality, she was starting to feel a slight bond with the man because of their similar experiences. Up to this point, she could only explain what she was feeling. It was exciting to be able to share the experience with someone else for a change. 

“What is that?” he questioned.

“I can concentrate on a picture I’m in, then jump to the past, through the photo.”

“No, you can’t jump through a photo, that’s crazy. You’re still talking about mental shifting. The photo must be the tool your mind uses to enhance your power.” Closing his eyes, Tom took a deep inhale through his nose then licked his lips. “Goddammit, I miss it so much. I can feel it all over you. I can smell it – taste it in the air.”  
  
He opened his eyes and saw the terrified look on Max’s face. “I’m sorry. It becomes so much of who you are. When it’s gone, you crave it. When something is a part of everything you do and everywhere you go for six months, it’s tough when it’s gone. On top of the grief for Vera, it’s been overwhelming.”

“Wowser. You had it for six months? I haven’t even had it for one month.” She wondered how much she would fuck up if she had it for as long as he did. “And I’m very sorry about your... Vera.”

“Yes, Max, you are apparently progressing at an alarmingly quickened pace. You have to be careful. It took the others months to be able to mental shift. You did it in a few days. Though, using an item like a photo to enhance the power is fascinating.” Max wondered if advancing too fast is what causes her nosebleeds.

“Wait, there are others?” she asked. 

“Oh, yes indeedy. From what I was told, there were at least three before me, perhaps more. I only met Jess, and she only met the one right before her. Jess found me and gave me the information I’m giving you. She was much better at it though, and she found me the day after I discovered the power. I’m sorry it took me so long, I thought I had more time.”

“I’m just getting more confused. Let me think… OK. How did you find each other? How did you find me? Didn’t you say you no longer have the power?” So many questions were popping into her head.   
  
“I lost the power, yes, but there are residual abilities you notice once it’s gone. I’ve felt it every time you’ve rewound or shifted. Two weeks ago, I saw a golden glow in the west, in your direction. It was like a bright star on the horizon. When I realized it was the power calling me, I sought you out. It was like the song of a siren, I couldn’t resist.”  
  
“What about the text? How did you send it to two timelines?”

“I only sent it once,” he sternly replied.

“But I remember two realities. I remember choosing to save the town and watching my… uh, best friend die. I also remember choosing for her to live. We stood at the lighthouse and saw the storm destroy the town. I remember both realities. I received your message the next day.” Still trying to create clarity and make sense of the new information, Max hoped to gain as much insight as possible.

Without acknowledging her statements, Tom inquired, “Chloe was it, she’s the one you chose to save or let die? She’s more than a friend, right?” Max nodded. “Do you know what she’s doing right now? I have a suspicion you wouldn’t like it if you did. Call her and ask her what she’s hiding from you…”

Max broke in, “I trust her! She would never do anything to hurt me. We don’t hide things from one another.” She looked down at her phone in hopes of finding a message from her girlfriend. 

“If you’re so sure, why did you just hesitate and look towards your phone? Listen to me, Max. Before the mall incident, I saw things – had visions. I knew it was going to happen. Piecing it together was my only focus. I couldn’t give Vera what she wanted anymore, I was too involved in myself and my search. I really fucked up. Do not let that happen to you. Although I think you’re realizing now, it already has.”

“What has ‘already happened’ to me?” She irritatingly begged, using finger quotes in annoyance.

“Vera was cheating on me, Max.”

“Fuck you, Tom.” She felt that same hatred bubbling from deep inside her one time before. It was like Mark Jefferson had replaced the person sitting in front of her. “We’re Max and Chloe, not you and Vera. Don’t get that shit confused. Our love is stronger than anything you…” 

The man pushed away from the table and jumped up in terror. “FUCK! It’s happening!” 

“What’s happening, Tom?” Max was alarmed and confused.

“Jess said when my purpose was completely fulfilled, the residual abilities would leave me too. I can’t be alone again, I’m not ready!” Max recalled the man telling her how severely he craved the rewind power after losing it. She feared he would not be able to handle losing this part of himself too. He already seemed paranoid and tormented. 

Tom ran outside and Max followed, grabbing her phone and bag from the table. The man was almost to his crimson-colored van, so Max stopped in front of her car. “Tom!” she shouted, but he was already inside. “God, I don’t want to do this, but I don’t think I have a choice!” She raised her hand and began to rewind.

“No, don’t!” screamed Tom, as he noticed her arm stretched out from the vehicle’s windshield. But it was too late, Max was in full rewind mode. After rewinding, her phone chirped, and Chloe was, once again, waiting on a selfie, so Max turned around, smiled, took the shot, and sent it as before.

Tom approached Max. “Do you take pictures of yourself often… Wait! No. Shit, Max, it’s not gonna work! They’re gone. I can’t feel you anymore. I can’t…” Beginning to sob, the man turned and, once again, ran towards his van. 

“Tom, wait!” Max called after him. 

“You’re on your own, Time Master!” The wheels squealed as he sped away and out of sight.

Stunned, Max went back into the restaurant, purchased a coffee, responded to her texts, and sat in the booth alone. A thousand thoughts twisted around in her brain. “Chloe loves me. She does.”

Wanting to take her mind off the information dump she just received, Max pulled up a book on her phone, popped in her earbuds, and started reading. After a few hours, she couldn’t shake the feeling Tom could be right about Chloe and Rachel. The doubts and insecurity came flooding back. She hated the helpless feeling of being so far from her girlfriend, so she decided to call. When calling didn’t work, she decided to text.

Max: Arrrr, Captain! <3 

Max: Chloe? 

Max: Please pick up

Max: Call me! :****(

Max: I’m worried, Chloe. I’ve called several times

Max: Should I call the police?

Max: Please be OK!

Max: Chloe.

Max: ……

Max: Please!


	7. Brick in the Wall

Visibility returned as the sunlight made its beginning approach through the cracked window in her upstairs bedroom. She could barely keep her eyes open the night before, as she continually and obsessively checked her phone for notifications. She had hoped for anything at that point, but half-expected the worst. Sometime during the night, her worry turned to anger. Anger turned to fear. Fear turned to anguish. Her jealousy and suspicion had been replaced by Max’s main concern, her girlfriend’s safety. From her memory, the last time a girl her age went missing, it didn’t turn out very well.

She regained awareness and checked her phone - still nothing. She was surprised she was able to fall asleep at all with how upset and uneasy she had been the previous night. Her girlfriend was missing, and she had acquired new information about her power. She desperately desired to discuss her coffee house experience with Chloe.

Max’s head felt like it had been fractured into a thousand pieces. She needed some type of cosmic adhesive to put it back together. Chloe was Max’s glue. She knew her partner in crime could help her make sense of the new knowledge, as well as ground her a bit. It was difficult to concentrate on the events at Victrola given the circumstances. The only thing that mattered now was Chloe. The other issues felt minuscule in comparison, though they continued to loom in the back of her mind.

“Max, how are you, sweetie?” her mom asked through the closed and locked bedroom door. “We haven’t seen much of you this weekend?” She got up and opened the door for a face to face chat.

“I’m sorry, Mom.” She reached up and touched the back of her head with her hand, smoothing her hair down. “After the last few weeks, I really just needed some me time, you know?”

“How was your coffee date last night? We heard you come in and shower, but nothing after.” Vanessa’s arms were folded in front of her chest. “Hope you’re enjoying your car.”

Max honestly didn’t remember showering. Everything besides Chloe and the new information had been on autopilot. “It wasn’t a date, Mom. I just had coffee with a… friend, that’s all. And yes, the car is amazing, thank you so much.” The photographer realized she wasn’t sure what details her mom knew about her life. After the photo jump, she checked emails, texts, and social media, but didn’t ascertain anything about her parents.

“You really don’t look well, sweetie. Are you sure everything is fine? You don’t have to talk to me about it, but a mother knows when her daughter is hurting. Just know that I am here.”

“Mom? Thank you so so so much for sending Chloe that letter earlier this year!” She wrapped her arms around her mother and gently squeezed.

“We should never have split you two apart the way we did. I’m sorry, I regret that decision. When you have a family of your own, you have to make tough choices where no outcome is ideal. You just do the best you can. The letter was nothing at all, I’m glad I found it.”

“No, not nothing,” the daughter cut in, “It meant everything.”

Max heard her phone’s ringtone come on and nearly jumped out of her skin. “I have to take this, Mom,” she said as she began closing the door.

“You should join us for dinner tonight. We’re going to your favorite restaurant, Sho Gun!”

“That sounds great, thanks.”

As soon as the door closed, she ran to her bed and grabbed her phone. The caller ID read ‘<3 Chloe Price <3’. Her heart was jumping so fast she had to take a deep breath to calm her nerves. Her eyes were beginning to water as she answered the call.

“Chloe!”

“No, this is Rachel.”

“What? Rachel? Where’s Chloe?”

“She’s with me now and she’s never coming back to you. I figured I’d call and show you the courtesy Chloe wasn’t planning to.”

“No, no! This can’t be happening.”

“Oh, it’s happening. Did you really think you had a chance against someone like me? I’m an actress, Max. You’re a… well, I don’t know what you are. Maybe a wannabe photographer? And you are so… average, I’m stunning.”

“Let me talk to Chloe, please.”

“No, you’ll never speak to her again. This is payback for ghosting her for five years. Five goddamn years, Max. Who the fuck does that to someone they care about? You, that’s who. You’re a shitty friend, a shitty photographer, and an even shittier person. You weren’t around, so I had to pick up the trail of damage you left behind. You might as well have killed Chloe when you left her. Instead, I was killed. I didn’t deserve to die, but you do. I literally wish Jefferson had murdered you.”

Max shot straight up in bed. “Ahhh!” she called out; her forehead saturated with a hot, sticky blanket of sweat. “Fuck nightmares!” She reached for the glass of water she placed on her nightstand the evening before and took a large gulp, noticing the alarm clock glowing ‘7:15am’. The brunette went to the bathroom and washed the moisture from her face with cold water.

While cleaning up, her phone rang from the bedroom. Half expecting it to be another nightmare, she slinked towards her nightstand. Not even looking at the caller ID, and just before the voicemail kicked on, Max meekly answered the call, “Hello?”

“Oh, God, Max! Fuck! The phone fell in the bed between the wooded… thingies. And I didn’t hear the alarm. I passed out so hard. It’s Rachel’s fault. Her Egyptian damn cotton sheets! She was supposed to wake me too. I’m so sorry!” Chloe was talking a mile a minute with no signs of slowing down. “I miss you, Max. I’m on the way. I’m driving as fast as I can! The damn truck won’t go much faster or the fucker’ll explode. Max, I…” Her voice caught, and she swallowed. “I need to talk to you about something, but not until I see you.” Finally, she paused long enough for Max to respond.

“Chloe! Please relax. It’s great to hear your voice, but I had a really rough night and I can’t keep up. My head is spinning.” Max took another sip of water then asked, “Wait, did you sleep in Rachel’s bed?”

“I did, but nothing happened, I swear. Maximus, that’s what I want to talk to you about. Things didn’t really go as planned, I’m way behind schedule. But I did get closure.”

“I didn’t know what to think, Chloe. You weren’t answering or texting back. I thought,” her voice crackled, “that something bad had happened to you. After all we’ve been through, after all we’ve seen, I thought you might be… dead.” The freckled brunette couldn’t hold the tears back any longer.

“Please don’t cry, babe. I’m alive and speeding towards you as we speak. We’ll be together soon, and everything will be perfect, you’ll see.” The early excitement of connecting with each other died down slightly. A content calmness was starting to set in.

“That’s fantastic, you found the closure you were looking for. I know I said I trusted you, and I do, Chloe… promise. I just couldn’t shake the feeling something was going to happen between you and Rachel. Then when Tom said certain things, it made me question that trust.” Max sniffed and wiped her face with her pajama sleeve.

“Fuuuuck, Max. I am so sorry. I totally spaced on the meeting with Tom. Dammit! I’ve been so involved in my shit, I forgot about it. I’m guessing that went okay?” Max could tell Chloe felt guilty. She’d never been very good at hiding her feelings.

“There’s no need to feel bad. Rachel being alive had to be a total mind fuck, and you shared a very important time in your life with her. I wish I could forget, but I do remember when we found her in the junkyard. I get it, Chloe.”

“I’m still fucking selfish, Super Max. The meeting with Tom was the most important thing happening to the girl I love, and all I could think about was my shit. Hell, your meeting might have been the most important thing happening in the entire universe. Fuck. Well, I have a long-ass drive ahead of me, would you like to fill me in?”

“Chloe, he was bizarre. I don’t think he’s a bad person, but seemed strung out, or a bit insane. At one point I was genuinely scared for my life.”

“Where is he, I’ll kill the bastard!” 

“No, he’s gone. He didn’t hurt me. Since he had the time travel power before me, he actually told me some pretty helpful things. I’m hoping you can help me make sense of some of it.”

“Ummm, we need to work on your story telling skills, Maximus. Why the hell didn’t you lead with the whole ‘he had time travel power’? That’s huge! I mean, holy shitballs!” The truck driver’s focus shifted momentarily. “Hey, watch it asshole!” Max could hear the truck’s engine rev up with a grind and the tires squealed and screeched. Over the phone the tires sounded like air being slowly let out of a balloon by pinching and stretching the blowhole.

“Be careful, Chloe. What good will it do if you die on the way back?” The typically overcautious brunette implored, assuming a particular finger was shared with the other driver.

“Fucker nearly sideswiped me!” the girl with tats and ‘tude excitedly conveyed.

“Please, Chloe. If we’ve gone through all of the shit we’ve gone through, and you get killed on the road…”

“You’re right, I just can’t wait to see you,” her attitude began relaxing. “Ok, I’m sorry, back to Tom. So, wudya learn?”

“Apparently, there’s a chain of others who’ve had the rewind power, and only one person at a time has it. Once your purpose is finished, the power leaves. That’s what he said anyway. It seems to be true.”

“So, how did he find you?”

“After the power leaves, there are abilities the previous power holder receives, or maybe unlocks... I don’t really know. But it’s designed so the former person can find the next one. Chloe, the power messed Tom up big time. He said he could feel it through me. It was frightening. But that wasn’t the strangest part. After he delivered the information, he began losing his abilities. I rewound, hoping I could warn him or something, but it didn’t work.”

“Wait, you rewound? Was that your first rewind since we jumped?”

“Yes, but…”

“Where did you rewind to? Like, what was happening when you stopped rewinding?”

“What does that matter, Chloe?”

“Just humor me, Mad Max.”

“Um, I was taking the selfie to send to you and Rachel.”

“Shit, I thought so. Max, I think I felt you rewind.”

“What? How?”

“I dunno. It was like everything just stopped, but just a pause, more like an abrupt and broken interruption. It felt like the earth angrily shuddered. I know that sounds dumb but…”

“Oh, dog! No, it actually makes sense. Maybe it happened when you jumped with me. You coming into contact with the power must’ve… done something.” Max knew her and her partner in crime shared a special connection, but this was on a different level. They were already totally bonded for life, but Chloe experiencing the power, even on a small scale, made Max happy. She wanted to share everything with her punk.

“Chloe, I got this feeling that Tom didn’t really know a whole lot. Yes, he experienced the power, but I don’t know if he knows much more than us. It was weird. He knew things but didn’t understand what or why he knew them. It’s strange to say, but even as frightened as I was around him, I felt… I dunno, more powerful than him.”

“That’s because you’re Super Max! Dammit, isn’t this fun!? You and me, together on another adventure. Let’s keep going. What else did Tom tell you?” Her voice was bouncing with excitement. The road warrior loved discovering and uncovering details, revealing truth from chaos.

She’d practically known Chloe her entire life. She was in love with the girl. But there were elements of her life she didn’t know much about, like the years between her father’s death and Max’s return to Arcadia Bay. The unknowing was exciting. She couldn’t wait to spend more time with her Captain Blue Beard so they could figure each other out.

Max shivered at the thought of the other thing Tom said. Originally, she assumed his question was directly related to his own personal romantic experience. She didn’t want to bring it up but would most likely have to at this point. It pronged and poked at her as if beckoning to be revealed.

“Chloe? Tom said one other thing. I’m not sure how to ask this without seeming mistrusting, but…” her voice caught, “are you hiding anything from me? He seemed sure you were.” She hated even asking the question but was certain the answer would be ‘no’ and they could move on.

The truck driver didn’t respond right away. There were a few seconds between the question and Chloe’s response. “Max, I… I don’t want to discuss this on the phone. There is something, but it doesn’t change anything. And I’m not hiding it, I’m waiting to tell you in person. It’ll be better that way.”

Anxiety and suspicion began building, and a mild sense of fear formed in the shorter girl’s heart. As plainly as she could muster, she responded, “You said nothing happened between you and Rachel. Did you lie to me?”

“No, I would never lie to you. I said I slept in her bed, and nothing happened then. But fuck, Max, can we please talk about this when I get back? I’m begging here.”

“Nothing happened… then? Did something happen another time?” The brunette could barely breathe. She knew Chloe could hear her deep breaths, but that didn’t matter anymore.

“Max, Please! Do you want to talk about this now? I will. But we really need to talk in person, face to face.” Chloe was pleading. Despite her tender voice, Max could only hear sadness.

“You told me we were exclusive. I trusted you despite every bit of my heart saying I could never compete with Rachel. So, what happened, Chloe? Tell me the truth.”

“Fuuuuck! Ok, Max. We met in the park, got ice cream, caught up, and she kissed me. I pushed her off and ran away.”

“Oh… is that all? She kissed you and you left?” Max took a deep breath feeling a slight relief, followed quickly by another gut punch. “Wait, you said you got closure.”

“That’s not everything. She kissed me, and… and… I kissed her back. We held it for several seconds until I thought about you. Max, it didn’t mean anything, and I regretted it immediately. I am so sorry! You mean everything to me. Please understand that! Fuck, Max, Please!” Chloe was full on weeping at this point. Almost so hard she was barely understandable. “I did push her off and ran away. I couldn’t be the cause of your pain. All I wanna do is protect you, and hold you, and be with you…”

“I can’t do this. I can’t! After so much has happened to us. We’ve fought and clawed our way through time together. You promised me. You fucking promised! This can’t be real. Another nightmare…” Her eyes glazed over, and her limbs felt like noodles.

“Max, I’m driving as fast as I can to come be with you. Rachel is long gone, and...”

The freckled brunette didn’t let her finish. “Was I blind? I’m such an idiot.”

“No. No, Max. This has nothing to do with you. I mean, it does, but shit! Don’t you see? This was it; this was the closure. We kissed and all I could think about was you. I…”

“I’m not sure anymore. Goodbye, Chloe.” She ended the call, powered off her phone, and laid down in bed.

* * *

“Noooo, fuck!”

Chloe couldn’t believe what just transpired. She knew it would be tough on Max, but she wasn’t prepared for this. Her attempts to call the freckled girl’s cell phone came up non-successful. She heard the same voicemail message over and over, “You’ve reached Max Caulfield. Please leave a message. Thanks! <beep>.” She sounded happy on the recording, which sent another dagger through the guilt-ridden girl’s heart.

“I’m so dumb. Goddamnit! I don’t deserve her. She’s perfect and I’m a shit mark.” The weight of the situation came crashing down as she continued to drive north. The world unexpectedly seemed different. Before this phone call, she had a purpose. She had a reason to live. The only person who ever showed her that she was unconditionally worthy of something, was Max. Now she’s gone… again. This time it was her own fault. “Fuuuuck!”

Suddenly, a thought came into her head that helped dissolve the self-loathing boulder she was carrying. It wasn’t a unique thought. She’d had it at least a dozen times in her life, and she knew her beautiful hippie understood it the same as she did. “We’re always together, even when we’re not.” Ripping the tears from her eyes, Chloe stepped on the gas.

Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she realized her girlfriend was hurting. Yes, she made a terrible mistake, and yes, it sucked. “We are Max and Chloe – fucking Max Caulfield and Chloe Price!” This was just a fight. They would laugh about it one day. She also realized the kiss with Rachel might have been a good thing. She meant it when she said the kiss was closure. It was a realization that she and Rachel were through. She felt nothing for the girl beyond friendship. She cherished the memories they shared, but her heart and soul belonged to her Maxter. It would be a tough fight at this point but damn worth the battle.


	8. Even

The tattooed bluenette had a rekindled sense of resolve. She wasn’t sure exactly how she was going to win her time traveling hippie back, but she knew she was going to. Long Max Silver and Captain Blue Beard’s adventures were far from over, that much she knew – and she suspected her partner knew the same. It made sense that Max wasn’t answering her calls, she was hurt and felt betrayed. She, too, remembered the feeling of someone she loved betraying her. Chloe’s typical reaction was that of anger and rage. Max’s would be the opposite. She would completely shut down and probably go numb. It broke Chloe’s heart knowing the pain she caused but was sure she could make things right, and she was confident this experience would only make them stronger. 

Chloe had this grand fantasy schemed up in her head. She would show up at the Caulfield’s house at 2am with a boom box overhead, “Say Anything”-style, blasting fucking Peter Gabriel. That was probably not going to actually happen, but she would do it if it meant making Max feel better and get over this bump in the road. She needed more, though. Something with fewer bells and whistles and more goop. The way to Max’s heart was honest and pure emotion, she just knew it.

Nearly seven hours down the road, Chloe received a phone call. “Go for Chlo.” She never answered the phone in that manner but felt renewed and hopeful. Her voice bounced with each syllable.

“Professor Price,” a sultry voice requested, “look in your rearview.”

She was hoping Max would be on the line, but this was unexpected. “Rachel? What are you doing?”

“Look in your mirror, dummy.”

Glancing up, she spotted a shiny black convertible sports car. The top was down, and an exceptional beauty with sunglasses was in the driver’s seat. “Holy shit, you’re right behind me! Why?”

“Well, I felt bad I stayed out late and didn’t get a chance to wake you. The other girls said you fled the loft like a bat out of hell. After the audition, I figured it would be a good chance to spend a week in Arcadia Bay. I haven’t been back in a while.”

Chloe thought of it right away. She was presented an opportunity and wondered if Rachel would be willing to help her out of her current predicament. “Nice wheels, Rach.”

“It was going to be a surprise, but I actually caught up to you. I couldn’t resist calling.” Her devious smirk could clearly be seen through the rearview mirror. The actress impishly asked, “Wanna race?”

“Uh, no. Unless you’re willing to scrape up blue hair and badass tat splatters from the asphalt. Damn thing’ll blow up if I push her.”

“How in the hell do you make gross shit sound poetic, Chloe Price?”

“It’s a gift?... Maybe a curse. Either way, I’m glad you’re here. I need your help.”

“Sure, anything for you.”

The girls discussed how Max reacted to the news about their kiss. Rachel chided Chloe for dropping the bomb that way. “Didn’t I tell you to do it in person? I swear I did. What sort of idiot says something like that on the phone?”

“This bitch, that’s who.” Chloe reached her arm out of the window pointing back to herself, which drew a cackle from her friend in the car behind her. 

They continued joking and chatting while making their way northward towards their destination. Rachel agreed to help but wasn’t sure if it was a good idea for her to accompany Chloe to Max’s house. If Chloe wanted reconciliation, maybe bringing the person who kissed her girlfriend to her front door was not the best idea. “Gotta risk it to get the biscuit,” Chloe joked.

The truck driver kept them on schedule, hustling from one stop to the next. They, of course, had to stop to use the restroom and fill up, but Chloe insisted they hurry. “Pinch it off, let’s go!” the playful, blue- headed girl called out each time Rachel was mid-pee. The Redbull kept them going strong, and Chloe refused to stop for sleep, despite the actress’s pleas. 

It brought Chloe a deep sense of peace road tripping with her guileful friend, not only because she’d missed the girl and the exciting times they once had together, but also the idea of Max and Rachel becoming friends was a dream of hers. She imagined all three of them hanging out together and was sure her two besties would hit it off.

Hours rolled by and daytime turned to night, followed by nighttime blurring into morning. Before long, the girls were in Seattle. Having never been there, Chloe relied on her phone’s navigation system and the address Max sent her years before. They pulled into the Caulfield’s subdivision and Chloe stopped at the clubhouse. Rachel pulled up beside her and rolled the window down. “Why are you stopping?”

“There’s something I need to write - a poem I’ve been thinking about during our trip. Also… I’m nervous as shit.” She found a white, unused napkin and a pen from the Two Whales. Her confidence the day before had diminished slightly. She had not seen her little photographer since they jumped back to their pirate days, and the baggage they were both carrying since then was weighing down heavy.

“Hurry up, let’s do this thing,” the blonde impatiently requested. “By the way, you’re cute as fuck when you’re nervous,” she said with a wink and a grin.

After a few minutes, Chloe folded the napkin three times and put it in the front pocket of her unbuttoned faux leather jacket. “I’m gonna try calling her again.” The phone rang four times, and as she was about to end the call, she heard the voice she’d been longing to hear.

“Chloe.” Max’s voice rattled and shook before she cleared it with a small cough.

“Max? Max! Oh, thank you for answering. Dammit!” It felt like a fifty-pound sack of sugar from the diner had been placed on her chest. Breathing suddenly became difficult. She could hear her heart pounding in ears.

“I’m sorry for shutting you down yesterday, Chloe. My heart feels so empty and destroyed.”

“No! Fuck no, don’t you dare apologize to me. This is how you react, it’s natural. You’re hurting because of me, but I’m going to make this right.” She fired the truck back up and started towards the Caulfield’s residence. “I’m almost at your house, Super Max! Goddammit, I can’t wait to see you!”

“You’re here?” a barely awake Max asked.

“Right down the road!” She could see what she believed was her house from the stop sign on the hill. As she made the turn onto Max’s street, she saw the light come on from her upstairs bedroom window near the backside of the house. “So. Fucking. Close! See you in a minute!” Chloe ended the call and parked in the driveway. Rachel parked in front of the house near the mailbox.

The bluenette walked over to the sports car and asked her friend to stay inside until she motioned her over. She, again, questioned if this was the right way for Chloe to approach the situation but didn’t put up too much of an argument. She was too exhausted from the drive.

A pale moon cast a thin light as Chloe walked around to the back of the house and found a small pebble. She tossed it up to the window with the light spilling out making a clinking noise. Max opened the window immediately. “Chloe!”

“Oh my god, Max! Should I have brought a boombox and played ‘In Your Eyes’?” the road warrior asked in jest. 

“You’re such a damn dork.” Chloe was relieved to see the corner of Max’s mouth angled upward in a sort of half-smile. Her beautiful pearly, sapphire eyes looking down from above, mixed with the orange glow of the nearby streetlamp, appeared pure and angelic.

“I have something for you,” she called up. Looking down she found a rock half the size of her fist. She wrapped the napkin from her pocket around the stone and tossed it up. She missed the window opening the first time, and it landed back down beside her with a thud. “Shit. Ok, here we go.” The second attempt was perfect. It landed inside the bedroom. The freckled angel stepped away from her window, unwrapped the napkin, and sat on her bed to read the poem.

After a minute or so, the girl upstairs dried her eyes and walked back over to the window. “You wrote this? Chloe, it’s perfect.”

“So, can I come in or should I stand out here freezing my ass off?” It was not a particularly cold morning, but the windchill nipped at her with an icy bite.

“It’s great to see you, but I think I need more time. I’m still hurting and don’t know how to process everything.”

“I know, Max. Let’s have some coffee and chat or something. I have another surprise for you too, but not until you let me in.” The window was shut, and the Max moved back and out of sight. Chloe walked around to the front of the house hoping the front door would be unlocked for her.

Six steps lead up to the front porch. An overly opulent storm door separated the outside elements from the glossy red front door. Chloe heard the deadbolt slide from the locked position followed by the doorknob turning. The door slowly creaked open. Standing before her was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. It was her perfect person. “Max... You look beautiful.”

“I’m in my PJs and my hair is atrocious.” Her head was sloughed to the side, and the pigments in her face had shifted from a pale white to a deep pink. “And I’m sure I have morning breath.”

“Mmmm. I love your morning breath,” the punk responded with a cheesy sneer. “Come out on the porch before we go in, I have something to show you.”

“It’s too windy, I don’t do cold very well.”

Opening the storm door, Chloe gingerly grabbed Max’s hand and walked her outside. After the door sprang shut, she removed her jacket and put it on the younger girl’s shoulders. “You look damn good in my clothes.” They walked over to the porch swing and both sat down, cuddling up to keep warm.

“Ok, so I know things between us are pretty rocky, but I love the shit outta you, Caulfield. I messed up, and I know it hurt you. But I’m here now, with you. We have to put this behind us and move forward.”

“All I can think about is your lips on hers. I keep seeing you two together when I close my eyes. You promised that wouldn’t happen and yet it did. I love you too, but how can trust you now? How can I trust these feelings are real?”

“I’ll have just prove it to you over and over and…” Chloe reached up to adjust her beanie while thinking of the next words she’d say. Mistaking the arm movement for a signal, her blonde friend opened the car door and approached the porch. Max’s body was angled towards the house and didn’t notice the girl coming towards them at first. When Chloe spotted the actress, she recoiled and made an arm motion indicating it wasn’t time yet.

“What the fuck?” she heard the brunette shockingly say. “Is that Rachel Amber? You brought Rachel with you?” Pushing away and jumping up, Max threw Chloe’s jacket on the porch and ran back inside.

“Shit, that didn’t go well,” the exhausted sports car driver commented.

Chloe sprang up and follow Max inside. The blonde also entered the house immediately behind her friend. They ran up the stairs and into the hipster’s bedroom. Max had just buried her head in a pillow, face down on the bed.

“Max…”

“Don’t Chloe. Why the fuck would you bring her here?” Max stood up to face the girl.

Stepping into the room behind the taller girl, Rachel broke in, “See, I told you this was a bad idea.”

“Shut up, Rachel. Listen, Max, she has something she wants to tell you.” Chloe’s tone was desperate. Looking at Rachel, she raised her eyebrows and tilted her head in her girlfriend’s direction.

Looking into Max’s disheartened eyes, Rachel stepped between her and Chloe. Max and Rachel meeting each other was a moment Chloe had dreamed about. She didn’t expect it to be under these circumstances, however. But a part of her was still excited to just watch their meeting unfold.

The blonde slowly approached and squinted her eyes with her head falling left then right as if evaluating the brunette. “Max,” she said, “you are gorgeous in person. I thought that selfie was hot, but damn.”

“I don’t think you…” Max couldn’t get her full reply out. As soon as she began speaking, Rachel grabbed her face and tightly pushed her lips against Max’s. The brunette’s eyes instinctually closed, and she didn’t pull away out of pure shock and disbelief. Ending the kiss with a loud smack, Rachel smiled and wiped the corner of her mouth.

Chloe’s eyes nearly popped out of her skull. “Fucking shit!” She incredulously called out, eyelids wide and mouth hanging open. She had just witnessed her two best friends, one being her girlfriend and one being her ex, kiss right in front of her.

“Now you two are even,” the sneaky girl commented with a small chuckle seeming proud of herself. “You taste good, Max.”

The room fell silent. The only sounds were a swooshing from the ceiling fan and the hum of a plugged-in electrical device. The threesome looked back and forth from one another not knowing what to say.

Finally, Rachel broke the silence. “Listen, Max. First, it’s very nice to meet you. I’ve only heard great things. Second, what just happened between you and me, that’s exactly what happened with me and Chloe. I made the move and… she pushed me off. You didn’t even pull away… just saying. Please don’t question her commitment, all she talks about is how perfect you are, and I can see why. Also, to be honest, you and I just kissed longer than Chloe and I did, so...”

“Rachel,” Max began, “I… I… wow.”

“Don’t you go falling in love with her, Maxi Max!” Chloe joked as she sometimes did when she felt awkward, but there was a hint of sincerity in her voice. “I mean it.”

“I am very damn tired and you two have a lot to discuss. Max, would it be cool with you if I crash in your bed?”

“They’re not Egyptian cotton,” she joked, “but I suppose it’s fine.”

Immediately after getting the go ahead, the blonde took her shoes off and snuggled beneath the covers. Before falling asleep, Chloe heard Rachel tell Max, “You really have a great thing here. Chloe is the most loyal and dedicated friend I’ve ever had. She’s great, and it looks like you two are a perfect fit. I won’t lie though, I’m jealous. If I didn’t know how much you meant to each other…” She trailed off as she yawned then rolled over and fell asleep. Max made sure her new friend was tucked in and comfortable.

“I really need a shower, Mad Max. Do you mind?”

“Of course not.” She gathered a towel and a fresh loofah for her girlfriend to use.

After several minutes, Max cracked the door and stuck her head in the bathroom. “You’ve been in there awhile, is everything okay?” she asked over the noise of the water and the bathroom steam fan.

“Max! Join me.” Her face poked through the shower curtain with a large grin and bouncing eyebrows.

“My parents are right downstairs.” She stepped in and closed the door behind her.

“We could get caught, makes it exciting. Come on!”

“After the last few days, I don’t think now’s the right time for our first time,” the younger girl said shaking her head, then whispered, “my first time.”

“I’ll make you forget all about the last few days. There’s no better way to say I’m sorry than this. Seriously, I want to make you feel good. Max, you’re gonna love it.”

“I know, Chloe, but I want our first time to be special, not in fear of getting caught by my parents. I don’t think they even know about us yet.”

“You’re right. I want it to be hella special for you too.” Chloe turned the water off and opened the curtain allowing Max a full view of her frame. “But are you suuuuure?”

“Wowser,” was all the freckled brunette could say, her eyes searching her girlfriend’s still wet body.

“We’ll just let this be a tease for now. Can you hand me my towel?” Max handed her the cloth Chloe had placed on the counter and quickly left the room. Chloe wondered if she was being too much too soon. An hour ago, she wasn’t even sure if Max was ready to forgive her. Now, she was teasing her in the nude. Maybe she ought to slow it down a bit, especially since she knew it would be the girl’s very first time. From her understanding, most people weren’t afforded a special first-time experience, she knew she wasn’t. But Maximillion was not most people. She deserved the best of everything, and that was Chloe’s newest goal in life, to provide special experiences for her partner.

The bluenette joined Max and Rachel in the bedroom. Rachel was still passed out and Chloe was barely hanging on. “It won’t be weird if I sleep in your bed too, will it? I mean, if it will, I can sleep on the floor. I badly need to crash dude.”

“Not at all, go ahead.” After Chloe quickly pecked Max on the cheek, she snuggled under the covers. Max grabbed her polaroid and dove between the girls.

“Photobomb,” the punk said, as Max held the camera up for a selfie.

Without missing a beat, the photographer replied, “Photo hog.” She snapped a picture of just the duo, then another including a sleeping Rachel. The two girls shared a series of light kisses that were only stopped because of a yawn. “Ok, go to sleep. I love you, Chloe.”

“Love you too, Maximus.”

* * *

Max got up and sat at her computer watching the girls sleep. She considered trying to go back to sleep herself but was not particularly tired. She felt terrible about shutting down the previous day. It wasn’t who she wanted to be. Chloe, with the help of Rachel, made it clear she would never betray her. They had the rest of their lives to be together, and they would most definitely not agree on everything. Many more fights and quarrels would happen, but she was determined never to let any obstacle come between them again. 

It felt like a new day was on the horizon, and she had seen the light. If she and Chloe were together and safe, she felt like anything was possible. With Rachel alive and in town, she was not sure how the day would play out once they awoke. Her desire was to spend as much time as possible with her girlfriend before having to go back to Arcadia Bay.

How was she supposed to act like a typical high school senior after everything that had happened? She had experienced a lifetime of challenges within the last month. Maybe Blackwell was not where she was supposed to be anymore. She knew her credits could easily transfer to a local Seattle school.

In two days, she was expected to return. If Chloe was with her wherever she went, was there anything anchoring her to the Bay? She missed Kate and Joyce, and hoped Warren was happy, but other than them and a handful of others, she really didn’t care what happened to anyone else. She felt cynical. It was not that she didn’t value the lives of thousands of people, she did care about others. She just valued something else even greater. The pure love she had for her Chloe trumped all else.

It was still strange having memories of herself making the decision, to photo jump back to the bathroom, that allowed her precious Chloe to die. It was a decision she knew she wouldn’t make again, given the choice. A part of her hated herself for even considering a future where the light of her world was extinguished. The idea of it chilled her to the bone. At the time, she thought she was honoring her friend by doing as she asked, but she knew damn well Chloe didn’t always know what was best. Even when they were fighting the day prior, she never really considered not being around her partner in crime ever again. Life didn’t seem worth living without her.

As lunchtime was approaching, Max began to get sleepy sitting in her quiet and dimmed room. Chloe and Rachel were still asleep, so she pushed them apart and nuzzled in between. It felt surreal. Not too long before, she spent the better part of a week playing detective, searching for the blonde. Then they discovered her body in the junkyard. Now, she was in her bed lying beside her very much alive and well. It was bizarre but felt nice.

Turning to her left side to face the punk, she kissed her on the forehead and shut her eyes.


	9. Ready

She had only been asleep maybe a half-hour as indicated by the clock on her nightstand. Ryan and Vanessa were both gone when Max left the bed and went downstairs. 

Her father was on a seven-day rotation at work, so he was rarely around. Her mother left a note on the fridge saying she’d be away most of the day. Max reckoned the two sleepy heads upstairs might be out for a while, so she made a bowl of cereal and a coffee. Her tastes had evolved over the years, and she wondered if she was growing too pretentious, but the taste of her parents’ Keurig coffee was absolutely awful. The only way she would be able to consume the dose of caffeine she needed, however, was to suffer through what was readily available.

After finishing her bowl of cereal, and drinking most of her beverage, Max noticed a girl looking down at her from upstairs. “You do have more coffee, right?” the blonde optimistically asked. She confidently swung her arms, bouncing from one stair to the next then plopped down on the stool beside the brunette.

“Rachel. Yes, uh, yeah but we only have K-Cups unfortunately.” Max sprang up and scrambled around. “How do you take it? I think they only have French vanilla and peppermint mocha creamer.”

“I don’t even care, to be honest. I just need caffeine.” Rachel’s eyes looked heavy, but there was still a radiant beauty about the girl even with bedhead and creases on her cheek from the ruffled sheets.

“About earlier…” Max timidly began, as she stirred the creamer in the steaming fresh mug of coffee she had expedited using the already warmed Keurig.

“There’s no need, Max. It was a strange situation and it’s over. I’m sorry for any trouble I caused, but when it comes to our Chloe, it’s difficult to avoid trouble, am I right?” She took her mug with both hands, not concerning herself with the handle, and enjoyed a small, slurping sip. “Fuck, that’s good.”

“Uh, it’s really not that good, it’s a K-Cup,” Max unapprovingly responded, sitting back down beside her new friend. “And yeah, trouble seems to follow Chloe around.”

“Mmm, I’d take day-old gas station coffee at this point, anything will do.” After a few more sips, the freshly caffeinated girl stood up and slid her stool closer to the time traveler. “So, I heard you can rewind time? I didn’t believe it at first, but I suppose you can prove yourself now; show me what ya got.”

“I’d really rather not, Rachel. It’s not something I use anymore unless I have to.”

“Please, Max,” the actress begged, caressing the brunette’s shoulder, sliding her hand gently up and down while looking deep into her eyes. “Chloe told me how brave you were, searching for me in a different… reality, I guess. Without even knowing me, you risked your life to find me. And you sent a letter… somehow, telling her to help me leave Arcadia Bay so I’d be safe. I’m not sure the details there but thank you for that. From what I can tell, you’re a great person.” She paused and leaned in even closer. “All I’m asking for is just a small rewind, nothing big. How would I even know you did it?”

“Well, I suppose a small one wouldn’t hurt.” She hadn’t tried using the power in a while. “Mainly I predicted future events when I convinced Chloe.”

“Oh!” Rachel perked up. “What if I tell you a phrase, one I know you would never guess, then you could rewind and tell me what I said before I say it?”

“If you think that’ll convince you, sure.”

“Ok, hmm,” the actress considered. “Ah, here we go.” She cleared her throat and began. “By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune hath mine enemies brought to this shore,” she proclaimed, in her best thespian voice.

Max knew she wouldn’t remember it, so she asked Rachel to repeat the phrase. After another listen, she was ready. “I think I got it,” she confirmed. “Here we go.” She held out her hand and rewound.

“Ok, hmm,” the actress considered… again. “Ah, here we go.” She cleared her throat and…

Max broke in, “By accident most strange, um, bountiful Fortune hath mine enemies brought to this shore?” She hoped she had gotten it right.

Rachel incredulously opened her mouth and squinted at the girl. “So, I already said that line, yeah?”

“Indeed, you did. Is that enough to prove it?”

“Well… I don’t know, maybe,” the blonde reflected.

“MAAAX!” a voice from upstairs called out. “Did you just rewind?”

The bluenette came briskly down the stairs and joined the pair in the kitchen bar area. “You rewound, didn’t you?”

“How did you know that?” Rachel probed.

“We’re connected in this thing, Rach.” She leaned over and kissed her girlfriend on top of her head, then made herself a cup of coffee. “You need to warn me next time, Maximus.”

“Dayum. I know you two are like, soul mates and shit, but that’s beyond comprehension.” Rachel made a gesture as if her mind was exploding. Her nose curled up dramatically in disgust.

“We sorta just go with it,” Max commented, contently grinning ear to ear and shrugging. “We’re Max and Chloe.”

“See, Rach, she’s a mushy goop, just like me now.”

“Yuck, you’ve morphed into one being, it appears. More like Pricefield, I’d say.” The girls all laughed and finished their coffees.

“So, Max?” The actress had a puckish look on her face. “I threw this idea out to Chloe, and she was against it, but I figured I’d get your thoughts, let you decide for yourself.”

“Don’t you dare, Rachel Dawn Amber!” Chloe knew exactly what she was about to suggest. She cupped her hand over the blonde’s mouth, who quickly pushed her away.

“No, I want to hear it,” Max disagreed. “What’s your idea?”

“It’s simple. We make this… um…an… amberpricefield thing, just for one night.” She bounced her eyebrows up and down and bit her lip. The brunette’s freckles seemed to disappear under the dark shade of red her pale face was turning. “I’m joking, obviously… unless…”

“I’ll speak for both of us Rachel, that’s a hard pass,” Chloe confirmed.

“Well, maybe…” Max spoke up, snickering.

The blue haired girl jerked her head in Max’s direction. “What?”

“I dunno, it could be fun, Chloe.” The time traveler couldn’t stop laughing.

“See, I knew she’d be into it,” Rachel smirked.

“No way,” Chloe firmly established.

“That’s fine,” Rachel giggled, “your loss.” Her gaze was fixed on Chloe. “As much as I’m not looking forward to being on the road again, I’m actually about to leave. I want to go see my Dad and Rose, and maybe catch up with some old friends in Arcadia Bay. And it seems you two need some alone time. I’m an amazing actress, but I’m not good at playing the third wheel.”

“Arcadia Bay,” Max shuttered. “I never want to go back to that hellhole.”

“All I wanted to do was leave that town,” Rachel responded. “It’s funny how time changes things. It’s been so long since I set foot in Acadia Bay that I sort of missed it. At least parts of it were cool.”

Rolling her eyes, Chloe snorted, “Of course you enjoyed it, everyone loved you.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” the hazel-eyed girl retorted. “So, I’m leaving. Give me a hug.” Chloe stood and exchanged a momentary embrace. “You too, Max.” She pulled Max in and kissed each girl on the cheek, then started for the door.

“Let’s meet up again before you go back to L.A., Rach. Max still has high school shit going on,” Chloe made the vomit gesture with a pointed finger and an open mouth, “so we’ll be that way soon enough.”

“That would be great,” Max agreed. “We can get some real coffee.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Rachel said with a wave and grin, then headed for the door.

“Wait!” Max stopped her new friend before she departed. “I know it’s cliché and everything, but I really want a picture of the three of us together. Rachel, would you mind?”

“I have never met a camera I didn’t love, or, that didn’t love me,” she replied with a flip of her hair. Max ran upstairs, grabbed her polaroid, and positioned the girls in front of the fireplace.

“Are you certain, Max, you don’t wanna… you know…” Rachel joked but was cut off.

“Rachel, I swear to God!” Chloe interrupted. The three friends erupted with laughter as Max snapped the photo.

The actress, again, waved goodbye and took off.

“What do you want to do today,” the bluenette thoughtfully asked her girlfriend.

“First, I need to brush my teeth, and it’s been like a day and a half since I’ve showered.”

“Ew, gross. I knew I smelled something funky.” She pinched her nose and waved her hand in front of her face.

“Oh, shut up, Chloe. You know you love my smell.”

“We’ll see about that, Caulfield.” The taller girl stood over her partner, slowly moving her head downward, and took a deep sniff of her hair. “Confirmed, I love your smell.” Gently tilting her head back, she softly kissed the girl on the lips.

“I’d really like to get cleaned up, Chloe. I feel a little gross.” She pulled away and started for the upstairs bathroom, taking her camera and putting it in her bag first.

“Your toothbrush miiiiiight be a tiny bit wet still,” Chloe called out. “Don’t get mad… Mad Max.”

“I’m not sure I could ever get mad at you again.”

In the bathroom, Max used her still soggy toothbrush then turned on the shower and removed her clothing. Once the water heated to the desired temperature, the brunette stepped in, then proceeded to go through her washing routine. She started with shampoo, then conditioner, followed by putting body wash on her loofah and lathering up. She rinsed off and stood there just enjoying the warmth.

When she was about to shut the water off and get out, she heard the bathroom door shut. She peeked around the back side of the curtain, meeting the blue-haired girl fully disrobed and stepping in. “Hi.”

“Hi,” the brunette apprehensively responded.

“Max, I know you didn’t want anything to happen with your parents around, buuuuuut… they’re gone now, and, well… here we are.” She smiled a clumsy, goofy grin that drew a tiny giggle from her partner.

“I want this to happen so badly, I swear, but can we just talk first?” She realized her now naked friend was ready to attack her, but she needed to get something off her chest before anything else.

“Of course, and we don’t have to do anything if you’re not ready. But Goddamn, you’re so beautiful, Max.” The older girl stepped in close for a hug. Their exposed skin touching was a new and curious sensation. “So, so beautiful.” Chloe’s voice vibrated her ear just enough to send an electric chill through the younger girl’s body.

“I would never mistrust you, Chloe. I shut you out and that was wrong. My own self-doubt is sometimes the loudest voice in my head, sort of like it is right now.” She reached up and smoothed a strand of blue hair from her partner’s face. The water patterns sounded slightly different with two bodies now in the shower.

“Max, don’t you even doubt yourself. I’ll be the captain of this ship, and you’ll stay safe with me, always. On top of that, you really have a smokin’ hot body. I’m serious, it’s amazeballs, dude! I’m so lucky.”

“Chloe, maybe we’re both lucky. How many people can truly say they are in love with their best friend?”

“Hmm, sounds like you memorized part of my badass poem,” the taller girl sneered, looking down lightly brushing her lips against her friend’s.

Max marginally pulled back and bashfully nodded. “Your words were so sweet, Chloe Price. You know my heart well. I’m so thankful I get to do this with you now.”

“I wanna do everything to you, uh, WITH you, Max. You came back to me and I’m never letting you go again. You’re my perfect person…” Her voice caught. “I love you so much.” With that the shorter girl tiptoed and stuck her tongue in her girlfriend’s mouth. Chloe’s eyes popped open in surprise, but only momentarily. She grabbed the smaller girl’s head with both hands, eagerly and wildly running her fingers through saturated brown hair. Their tongues swirled and explored as their lips joined with a passionate embrace.

“Chloe,” Max began, as she gingerly pulled away, enticing a disappointing grunt from her shower mate. “Will you… show me what to do?” Her voice quivered with nervousness, as their blue eyes locked.

“You’re so cute, Maximus. I told you, I’m your captain. We’ll leave the pirate business outta this… for now. But you know what I mean.” Chloe separated the girls with a playful push. “Max Caulfield. Goddamnit. You’re perfect.”

“Shut up and kiss me, you dork.” Every second their warm bodies weren’t touching it felt like torture.

“Max, if anything is uncomfortable, or doesn’t feel good, tell me. And there’s no pressure, we can slow down or stop anytime.”

The freckled girl’s heart was beating rapidly, she had wanted this for so long, and felt more comfortable with every word spoken and every moment that passed. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt completely at ease. Sure, there was a degree of nervousness, but her heart was ready.

“Wowser.” She hadn’t taken in how picturesque her partner’s body was until she allowed her eyes to scan up and down, memorizing every curve and crease.

“Pretty good, right?” the bluenette confidently joked, swinging her hips to the side. She reached back and adjusted the water temperature, as it had started to get a bit too cool. Then, pulling her partner to her body, she asked, “Are you ready?”

“Very, very ready,” Max confirmed. “I’m the readiest.” She realized that may have been the dorkiest thing she’d ever said, but it seemed to ignite a fire in her partner who rapidly spun her around. She could feel her breasts and abs pressed against her back, the warm water trickling down their bodies added a level of excitement to the experience.

Max felt a new sensation. A wave of energy beginning just below her ear trickled down through her body, ending near her ankles. It was strange, but good. Crooking her neck upward and slightly back towards her partner, she located the source of the pleasure. Chloe’s tongue and lips were casually working up and down her neck. She let out a light moan, which seemed to encourage the girl behind her to increase the frequency. Each neck kiss grew sloppier and more… intense with each passing moment. Their bodies moved in sync, in a sort of rhythmic motion.

The brunette’s heart was so filled she let out a high pitched, “I fucking love you,” which, again, encouraged her partner. Following her heartfelt words, Max felt an even more extreme sensation lower on her body. She noticed Chloe’s head not in its formerly fixed location around her neck. Looking down and farther back, she recognized her punk was on her knees behind her. “Chloe, I dunno about… Oh, my dog…”

The girl couldn’t connect her thoughts and words. Her girlfriend’s tongue was forming spirals on her lower back. Her teeth tenderly contacted skin with calculated precision. Abruptly, Max was spun around again, looking straight down at a head of blue hair and a shimmering pair of blue eyes. “I fucking love you too, Maxi Max.”

Chloe kissed the girl’s stomach and bellybutton, drawing out pleasurable moans and a small giggle or two when connecting with a ticklish spot. “Do you wanna stop?” the girl on her knees asked.

“Fuck no, please.” She was about to erupt and suspected Chloe knew it. “Stop teasing me.”

Chloe’s eyebrows shot up, and a mischievous grin formed on her face. Max immediately felt her leg being lifted, coming to rest on the captain’s shoulder. The next ten minutes or so were better than the smaller girl could have imagined. Sure, she had experimented alone, but this was otherworldly. Her entire body shuddered and crumbled onto the shower floor at the end. It had become useless trying to stand at that point; her legs felt like noodles. Chloe caught her petite freckled girlfriend and joined her at the bottom of the tub.

The two girls just sat there in each other’s arms, kissing and rubbing the other’s body and enjoying the pure love they were experiencing together. Max never wanted to leave. All she wanted for the rest of her life was to be right there in that moment. Suddenly, something occurred to her. “Oh, Chloe. Do you want me to…?”

“No, Super Max. We’ll get there next time, maybe - or the time after that, or the time after that… The point is, we’ll have plenty of time to explore, and I wanted this to be all about you.” She got excited thinking about what the next time had in store.

“Oh, that reminds me,” the girls stood up and started drying off, “I want to experiment with my power today.”

“You’re not gonna rewind and re-experience THAT again, are you?” Chloe loudly cackled. “That’s not fair.”

“Chloe! I would never… although...” Max laughed and kissed her partner on the cheek. “I want to see what happens to you when I rewind, I think it’s very important.”

The lovers helped each other get dressed and sat on Max’s bed. Feeling liberated and closer than ever before, the girls continued to kiss and hug on each other. With her fingertips, the brunette traced the tattoo on Chloe’s arm. “I never asked about your tat. Is there any meaning behind it?”

“Well, I just liked the way it looked to be honest. I love butterflies and red flowers, and the colors sorta mix together in a hella badass way. The skull was Rachel’s idea. I think it all matches my personality pretty well, don’t ya think?”

“Yes, definitely. It makes me want one.”

“Fantastic idea, dude! You gotta let me help you decide what to get and where to get it.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it any other way. We’ll always be together, so you’ve got to be there holding my hand. I might be too chicken.” The photographer jumped up and grabbed her camera again from her bag. “I’m feeling sentimental and need a new shot of just us.” She pulled her girlfriend in. Just before snapping the picture, Chloe leaned in further and kissed her on the cheek.

The photo rolled out and Max grabbed it. It came into focus and she was blown away. Both girls’ eyes were shut with smiles of contentment on their faces. “This is perfect. When we grow old together, this is how I want to always remember us.” She slipped the camera back in her bag.

“I’m sure we’ll change as the years go by; I might even convince you to color your hair, Maxter.” Chloe began tracing the freckles on Max’s face with her fingertips, practically compelling her eyes to shut in enjoyment.

“Ok, Chloe, I could sit here with you all day doing just this, but there’s one thing still bothering me.” She slowly slid away from the bluenette for the first time in a while. “It’s been looming in the background of my mind since before we photo jumped, and it was reinforced after meeting Tom.”

“You still have your power,” Chloe confirmed, “and it should leave when your purpose is done. That about it, babe?”

“You really know me,” the time traveler said, playfully batting her eyes.

“You REALLY memorized my poem, huh?”

“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever read; how could I not? How long did it take you to write it anyway?”

“Um, five minutes,” she responded with a sort of half-smirk.

“Are you cereal, Chloe?” She couldn’t believe something that amazing took such a short amount of time.

“Well, to be fair, I’d been writing it in my head since leaving L.A. Soooo, somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 hours.”

“It’s my favorite thing you’ve ever given me, hands down. I’d like to frame it at some point.” Max stood up and refocused her attention. “OK, I’m going to rewind. I want to see if I notice anything. Are you ready?”

“I’m the readiest,” the blue-headed punk said with her tongue sticking out.

“Oh, shut up!” Max grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it in her partner’s direction, who easily batted it down. “You really are an ass; did you know that?”

“Very much aware, thank you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you back. OK, here we go.” She held out her hand and prodded the sweet spot in her mind where the rewind power existed. Like pushing a button and discharging a pulse of electricity, time sped in reverse. She plugged the pulse almost immediately. The pillow she threw moments before struck her friend directly nearly knocking her off the bed and to the ground.

“Did you rewind just to hit me in the face with a pillow, Max?” She seemed irritated at first, but when she saw her little girlfriend giggling in her hands, she released the anger and started laughing.

“I’m sorry, Chlo, I had to.”

“Chlo? Are we going with ‘Chlo’ now?”

“Figured I’d try it out. I think it’s cute.”

“I think YOU’RE cute,” the girl who’d just been smacked with a pillow commented, moving in for a quick kiss. “I felt the rewind again but was too distracted with a damn face full of pillow to concentrate.”

“OK, for reals. Let’s wait one minute, and I’ll rewind to this exact moment.” They waited sixty seconds on the dot, and Max rewound.

“Yes! Just then, you did it!” Chloe excitedly yelled. “I can fucking feel you, Max!”

“That’s amazeballs, Chloe. It doesn’t hurt or anything does it?”

“No, not at all, just weird as shit.”

“I want to try one more thing. I’ve been thinking about you photo jumping, and it made me curious. How would you like to see if you can rewind with me too?”

“Remember in the diner when I pledged allegiance to you? Well, I meant it. I’m with you no matter what.” She ran her fingers through the brunette’s hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. You know, you really should show more of your pretty face. Don’t get me wrong, your bangs are… well, bangin’, but I’d love to see as much of you as possible.”

“Maybe I’ll try that,” the time traveler responded, “but we need to concentrate. I don’t want to mess up and have something bad happen. Now hug me, dummy. I’ll go slow.”

The girls joined together as they had prior to the photo jump several days earlier. Max searched for the meshed, syrupy rewind spot as she typically did. She pressed on it and began rewinding. It was difficult to move her head in the middle of the rewind, but she managed to do it. Pulling back and looking directly in front of her, she met another deep blue pair of eyes widened and frantically cutting left then right, up then down, and in every direction possible.

Plugging the pulse, the brunette stopped. Her girlfriend released the hug and excitedly exclaimed, “Whoa, Fuck! I can’t believe it! Did we just…”

“Shoot backwards in time? Yeppers! What do you think?”

“God, I dunno. Everything seemed warped and sorta dim and foggy, but sharp and extreme. Your face looked strained, Max. Does it hurt when you do it?”

“Not anymore. I haven’t had a nosebleed since the photo jump. I think I’m getting better at controlling it. I’m just scared I’ll end up like Tom, though.”

“Why in the hell would you end up like that nut? He was crazy.”

“The power made him that way, Chloe. It’s starting to… I dunno. The trickle through my body tingles and feels really good. I mean, not like what happened in the shower, but still good.” Max was concerned. She noticed how easy it was to rewind now, and she was starting to enjoy it.

“I won’t let you get to that point.” She leaned over and kissed her friend on the forehead then the cheek. Then, using her mouth, she traced a line over and tenderly pecked Max on the lips. Chloe had that same playful look in her eyes as she did when she stepped into the shower. “You know, your parents still aren’t home. We could…” Her voice immediately hitched. The bluenette seized over on the bed and grabbed her nose with both hands, landing on her back. “Shit!” she grimaced.

“Chloe!” Max jumped on top of her partner straddling her stomach and holding her head, each hand on either side of her face. Gooey crimson liquid began pouring from her nostrils. She removed her shirt to catch the blood and put pressure on the source. The punk fervently jerked and thrashed around. Finally, after what seemed to be several minutes, her body went limp.

* * *

Her toes dug in the sand as she looked around, unfamiliar with her surroundings. There was a large body of water directly in front of her with hotels lining a coved area. To her far right, beyond the cove and in the distance, she noticed a large pointed structure with what appeared to be a domed portion on top of a dish. She had never been there before but recognized the structure as the Seattle Space Needle.

“Pretty isn’t it?” A familiar voice came from her far left, in the only direction she hadn’t searched yet. She recognized it immediately but that only made her more confused. “I love this time of day,” he said to his tall, blue-haired daughter. “The golden hour, they call it.”


	10. Emergence

Slipping her feet in her white sandals, she began to walk with the man. “I used to dream about you,” she calmly acknowledged. “When I was at my lowest point, after you… died. You gave me advice and helped me get through some dark moments.”

“I know, I was there, remember?” He softly chuckled to himself continuing to look forward as they strolled along the beach. He whistled a familiar song, but Chloe couldn’t quite place it.

“Seriously, Dad, you came to me and gave me advice when I needed it. Is that what’s happening now? Do I need advice?”

“Sweetheart,” he stopped and turned to face his daughter. “You’ve grown up. You’re so strong now.” The man gently grabbed both of her hands and placed them in his. “You two don’t even realize it yet, but she can’t do this on her own, you have to use your strength to help her.”

“What does that mean? Are you talking about Max? She knows I’m never leaving her, Dad. We’ve never been happier or stronger than we are now.”

“Think about what has been happening, Sweetheart. Everything has a purpose, and her purpose is not yet finished.”

“There is no purpose for you dying and being taken away from me. In a world where rewinding is the norm, how can anyone believe in purpose?”

“Yes, of course there is a purpose,” he tenderly responded. “You’re not using your brain, Chloe. Connect the dots. You used to be the best at that. Look out over the bay. Do you see it?” He released one hand and pointed towards the horizon.

“I don’t see anything.”

“Look harder, sweetheart.” He pointed to a specific spot. She squinted and held her hand to her forehead, shading the sun from view. “There’s a window that only you two can open together. Not just her, not just you… both of you. But only she can go through it, and she must go through.”

“I see it, but I don’t understand.” The corners of her peripheral began to dim. She noticed reality fading to a mere shimmer. “Dad, don’t leave me again. Please!”

“… give rise to each other… complementary… both of you… together…”

The bluenette pushed up to her elbows and gasped deeply for air.

“Chloe! Oh, god Chloe!” Max squeezed her thin arms around her girlfriend’s body, burying her head in the girl’s chest. They pulled away and just looked at each other. “This must be how you felt when I passed out.”

“I’m good, I’m good… I think,” she nodded, picking up Max’s blood-soaked shirt and wiping the remainder of the liquid from her nose and mouth. “I can’t imagine a more beautiful sight to wake up to than a shirtless Max Caulfield.”

“You scared the shit out of me. I wanted to rewind again but was afraid I’d do even more damage. Are you okay?” The shakiness in her voice and the dilation of her eyes clearly indicated the girl was frightened.

She moved to sit beside her freckled cutie and put an arm around her shoulder. “Max, I’m fine. But I think I know what we need to do now… well, kinda.”

“Wait, how?”

“Did I ever tell you I had visions of my dad after he died, after you left?”

“No, but I imagine that’s not uncommon after losing someone that close.” Max went over to her dresser and put a fresh shirt on.

“Sure, but these were more than just visions. My dad talked to me and helped me get through things. It was like he was actually there to give me advice, in a dark and cryptic way, but it was always the guidance I needed. Anyway, just now, I was walking with him on a beach. He made me feel like I wasn’t supporting you, Max. Like I needed to do more.”

“Oh, Chloe. You’re wonderful. You’re already doing so much.”

“He told me I’m not connecting the dots and I need to help you more.” The bluenette paused for a second. “I know you don’t wanna hear this right now, Max, but we need to rewind again.”

Vigorously shaking her head, Max puffed, “No way. Absolutely not. Nope. After all that blood you just lost, there’s no way we’re doing it again.” It was cute watching Max fold her arms and huff. She knew in the coming years she would have a great time poking at her partner just to see that reaction.

“I just need you to trust me. When you rewind, what do you imagine? Like, how do you do it?”

“I’m not really sure. It feels like a raised… uh, button in my mind. No, it’s more like, and don’t laugh, a syrupy bruised spot on a banana. I just press down on it and allow the flow to trickle into a pulsing wave.”

“I’ll bruise YOUR banana,” she joked. “Sorry, had to. Okay, do you remember when you said you could go slow?” The brunette nodded. “Do that again, just go as slow as you possibly can.” The girls held onto each other in preparation for the rewind. Max held out her hand and locked eyes with her favorite person. Chloe returned the glance with a confirming nod.

As the pulse began, Chloe also extended her arm. She closed her eyes hunting for any semblance of the button, or bruise, her partner mentioned but couldn’t find anything. She kept searching and was only pulled back when hearing Max’s strained voice.

“Chlllloooeee. Caaaannnntt. Gooooo. Baaaccckkk. Annnnyyy. Moooorrree.” She knew her girlfriend wouldn’t let her try again if it didn’t work this time, and her only chance was slipping away. “Chlllloooeee!” the time traveler screamed. Max seemed to be at the end of her rewind capabilities.

Out of desperation, she reached deep in her mind one last time. After forcefully tensing then releasing every muscle in her body, she perceived a valley of grey mass. As she searched the mass, she noticed a dull trickle in the back of her head; a tiny, meshed bubble of sap dripping with an energy she hadn’t experienced before. She feared she would lose it amongst the grey, so she reached out and grabbed her partner’s outstretched hand for support. As soon as they connected, a blinding light burst in front of them only inches from where their fingers were wrapped, causing the duo to fly backwards and land at the head of the bed. The pulse was plugged, and the rewind dissipated. 

Vision took a moment to return after the flash of white, and Chloe could hear water running in the bathroom. They hadn’t been in the shower for over an hour. “Your nose, Max.”

“Ugh… Damn…” She reached for a tissue from her nightstand and wiped her face. “Is that the shower? I’ve never gone that far back before.”

“Max, check it out!” Chloe held her hand in the air where a tiny ray of light like a laser beam formed a circular dot on her palm. Searching for the source she moved her hand towards the center of the room. The dot slowly grew until she reached the area just beyond where they had interlocked fingers during the rewind. “It’s like a hole to another… something.”

Max stood up and went to the bathroom. Chloe heard her splash some water then turn the shower off. She returned to the bedroom, face still a bit damp, and joined her at the golf-ball-sized, floating hole. “What the hell is that?”

“I’m not sure. Looks like we ripped a gap… in space, I guess.” The bluenette cautiously inched her pointer towards the hole.

“Don’t touch it!” The photographer snapped, pulling her camera out from her bag. Chloe moved back and out of the shot so she could take a picture of the hole. “Whoa. That’s some sci-fi shit. What if it melts your finger off or something?”

“It’s not gonna melt my finger, dork. You’ve been watching too many movies.” She slowly reached out with her hand; palm faced towards the chasm. Her hand passed straight through as if nothing were there. It was like passing through a ghost, she thought. She moved her hand back and forth, repeatedly, through the plane where the spot floated. “Hmm.”

“Let me try,” the freckled girl suggested. Mimicking her partner’s method, she opened her palm and approached the hole. As she edged forward a puzzled look formed on her face.

“What’s the matter, Max?”

“I feel a stream of air. Did you feel it?”

“No, nothing,” the taller girl responded. She waved her hand through the plane again but didn’t feel a thing. She watched as Max’s palm touched and struck the hole. It vibrated and rippled like a pebble being tossed in a lake. Max quickly pulled back then touched it again. The white light scattered and was gone.

“Wowser. Chloe, come look.” A chamber of sorts appeared to exist on the other side of the window.

“This is it, Max!”

“What’s it?”

“I don’t know how to explain it, but this is a window to somewhere important. It’s what Dad was talking about. He showed me something in the vision, but it looked bigger somehow. It was a circular window, like the ones on cruise ships, just much larger.”

Max studied the area and a look of worry replaced her former curiosity. She placed a thumb from each hand on opposite sides, grabbing the edges of the opening, and began pulling outward. The window gradually increased in size with each tug. The farther apart her hands traveled, the tougher it was for the girl to find enough strength to keep it open.

“Chloe, I’m scared.” Her voice shuddered. “I think I have to go through right now, but I don’t know what will happen. I refuse to be away from you. I won’t do it!”

“I think you’re right, Max. I’m sorry but listen to me.” She grabbed her girlfriend’s head and turned it in her direction, both hands on each cheek, then quickly kissed her lips. She could see how hard her partner was struggling to keep the window open. “Chill out! It’s going to be fine.”

Tears began sliding down the freckled girl’s face. Chloe reached over with her thumbs and wiped the streaks from under the girl’s eyes. “We’re Max and Chloe remember? We’re always together, even when we’re not.”

The window had widened as far as Max could force it. She stretched it almost perfectly shoulder width so her petite frame would easily be able to slip though. “Chloe, I… I fucking love you.” Her arms were trembling and growing weak. She wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer.

“I love you too, Super Max. You’ll be putting a dollar in the swear jar when you get back. Now go. I’ll wait for you.” The girls shared a lovingly empathetic smile.

With that, the brunette dove through the window, which squeezed shut behind her, rapidly shrinking. Finally, it was closed completely. “Wait,” Chloe spoke to no one, waving her arms and hands in the spot the window once was, “this can’t be right. It wasn’t supposed to fucking close all the way!” She had been strong for Max for as long as she could, but her courage had vanished, not unlike the hole her girlfriend just disappeared into. She fell on Max’s bed, face first into her pillow, and the flood gates were released. She wept in a way she hadn’t since her father passed.

After several minutes, she realized her work wasn’t finished. There was no need for grief, Max was somewhere out there, and she would be damned if she didn’t contribute in some way to bring her safely back home. It occurred to the punk that Max left her cellphone and bag. She snatched the phone from the nightstand and entered the same password Long Max Silver had used since they were dorky kids, and it worked. “Note to self,” she said to no one, “teach that girl to change her damn password every now and again.” She located the texts from Tom, still listed as ‘Unknown Sender,’ and decided to give him a call.

The phone rang at least ten times with no voicemail. Finally, a man’s voice was heard on the other end. “Max?” the man grumbled.

“Nope, but close enough. I’m Chloe. Nice to meet you and all that shit. We need to talk.” Her playful voice didn’t match the seriousness of the call. “Max told me about you, and that you used to be able to rewind too. I need your help.”

“Chloe?” Tom responded, after clearing his throat. “You’re the one she chose to save, aren’t you?”

“Understatement of the year, Tom. She’s saved me more times than I can count.”

“She had a choice. And she chose you over other lives. How fucking selfish can a person be?” the man chided. “I had to let Vera die yet you get to live? We all have sacrifices to make, to save everyone else. Yeah, that’s unfair to you, but it’s not your decision.”

“Yeah, you’re right. It’s not my decision, asshole. It’s her decision, and it doesn’t even matter now. Both choices were joined.”

“It can’t stay that way. How could you be so fucking naïve to believe it? The cycle doesn’t stop. It can never stop.”

“Our love is too strong, Tom. That’s the difference between this time and any other time. We’re Max and Chloe…”

“That doesn’t matter, bitch,” the former time traveler broke in. “We were in love too. We were Tom and Vera, and nothing mattered but saving those kids. Now she’s dead, I’m fucked up, and the cycle moved on. That’s how it’s meant to be. One life for many.”

“Fuck you for calling me a bitch, but, Tom, I didn’t call to argue with you. I need your help. Please, don’t hang up. Max and I opened some sort of hole, or portal, to another… universe or something. She went through it and it closed behind her. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, I just know I can’t sit on my ass and do nothing while she fights.” Her voice grew more desperate with each word.

“What do you mean you opened a portal?” Tom questioned.

“When she photo jumped back, she took me with her. Since then, every time she’s rewound, I’ve felt it. Some of the power transferred to me, we think. When she rewound earlier, I used what little power I had, the powers combined somehow, and it tore a hole in fucking space. She climbed through it, it closed, and… well, here we are.”

“Unbelievable! You let her go through?”

“It happened so fast…”

“You two are fucking with shit you shouldn’t. What gives you the right? Goddamn kids getting the power. What a joke!”

“I called for help, Tom, what am I supposed to do?”

“You’re supposed to die, Chloe. That’s all. Easy peasy. Max will realize soon enough, if she’s not already dead herself.”

“Fuuuuuuuck!” She slammed the cellphone down, ending the call. From Max’s description, she knew the man would be tough to deal with, but she hadn’t expected the conversation to go so poorly. It was a bit discouraging, but she didn’t let it get her hopes down. She was still unsure what her purpose was, but she had to do something. She felt alone and prayed to any god who would listen, to protect her soulmate. She promised herself she would always keep Max safe, but now she didn’t even know where she went.

Dumbfounded and feeling lonely, Chloe decided to call her other best friend. The girls discussed the vision, the hole, Chloe’s newfound trickle of power, and Max’s disappearance. A lot had happened since the actress left.

“I’m out of ideas, Rach, but I can’t just sit here.” Her head was swimming.

“What about your vision? Didn’t you say it was a beach in Seattle, near the Space Needle? Maybe you should go there.” The blonde was still on the road, having just entered the Arcadia Bay city limits.

“Yes, but the positioning of the landmark, to the far right in the distance, and my location on the beach, it sorta reminded me of…” The bluenette contemplated. “Rach, I think I know where I need to go; where WE need to go. Please, this is important.”

“If it’s important to you, it’s important to me, but I’m not driving back to Seattle. This girl has driven enough in two days for two lifetimes.” By Rachel’s tone, she seemed worn out.

“No, I’m coming to you, back to Arcadia,” Chloe groaned. Her initial thought was to stay in Max’s room in the event she returned to the same spot. But the reality of the matter had set in. The window had closed, and there’s no telling where her girlfriend ended up. When she finds her way back it won’t matter where Chloe is located. They’ll find each other like they always have.

“I’m meeting my dad and Rose for an early dinner, then I’ll join you… um, where, The Two Whales?”

“Meet me at the lighthouse in about three hours.” She figured the trip from Seattle to her hometown would take about that length of time.

“Color me intrigued,” she responded. “I also have something I want to give you.” They said their goodbyes and ended the call. Chloe bounced up feeling energized, as she typically did when on a new adventure. Captain Bluebeard was on the hunt for her first mate.

Before heading out the door and jumping in her truck, she grabbed Max’s satchel. She knew when her partner returned, she would want it. As she lifted it from the ground beside the bed, the camera, car keys, and several photos spilled back down to the ground. She gathered the contents and slung the strap around her neck. On her way out, she stopped to look at herself in the mirror. Allowing her right arm to hang by her side, she reached across her body and placed her hand on her right shoulder, in typical Max Caulfield fashion. Then she cackled, finding humor in the fact that she was cosplaying as her sweet girlfriend.

Moving from the mirror with the intention of leaving in her truck, Chloe remembered she had access to a more reliable mode of transportation. She felt more comfortable in her truck, but she didn’t need a breakdown impacting her trip. A quick and safe arrival to Arcadia Bay was much more important now. She reached in Max’s bag and fished out the keys to her new ride.

“Maaaaax?” a voice called from downstairs. She grabbed the last item she needed from Max’s dresser and ran down, meeting Vanessa as the older woman was putting her purse and keys on the dining room table.

“Chloe? Hey, sweetie. How’ve you been? It’s been a long time.” Max’s mom pulled her in and wrapped her arms around the girl. She’d always been nice to Chloe, but they never grew particularly close.

“Very good, Mrs. C. I was just leaving.” She didn’t want to waste time, but also couldn’t be rude to her girlfriend’s mother. Especially since it was her actions that eventually saved Rachel.

“Where’s Max?” she asked.

“Oh… she’s… well… she’s not here right now. I’m actually going to pick her up... somehow.”

“But her car is still parked in the driveway, and I’m assuming that’s your truck?”

“Yep, a beauty ain’t she? Well, I gotta go. It was nice seeing you.” Chloe ran out the door, unlocked the car using the key fob, and cranked up. She slammed it in reverse, flew down the driveway, pushed it to drive, and blasted down the road, catching a squealing wheel or two in the process.

Once the neighborhood disappeared in the distance, she unfolded the last item she grabbed. She was not sure why but knew it would be important. She folded the napkin three times and tucked it in Max’s bag.


	11. The Watcher

She watched as the window she climbed through winked out of existence. A mild panic shot through her veins and her body shuddered with uncertainty. She stood up to gather her bearings, hands frantically searching behind and then in front, but the darkness obstructed all sight. Directly behind, where the window once hung, she discovered a chilled, damp wall blocking the path. Stretching her arms out she searched to her left and her right, but only discovered more walls. As the panic in her mind began to swell, she crouched down on her hands and knees and started crawling. Her palms gripped the clammy floor pulling her body forward inch by inch.

Max continued to edge forward, without vision and not knowing where she was going. A sudden thought came to her that offered a relief from her disorientation, “Cogito, ergo sum.” It was something she heard Samuel, the Blackwell Academy janitor, once say one morning while feeding the squirrels. She asked what it meant, and he informed her, “I think, therefore I am.” She didn’t think much of it at the time, but in her current condition, it meant everything. Her confidence and certainty started to grow. She stood up and began rationalizing and deducing the situation. She could feel the cool air slide up her nose, through her nasal passages, and swirl around inside her lungs.

“There are four boundaries,” she spoke aloud, almost frightening herself as her words echoed in the empty distance. “Left, right, behind, and below.” She raised her arms as high as she could, standing on her tiptoes, grazing what had to be a fifth boundary above. That meant there was a sixth side, or wall, she hadn’t touched yet. It must be the way she needed to go.

She resumed walking in the only available direction, holding the belief it would lead to an important destination. As she continued forward for what felt like an eternity, thoughts swirled through her head, some more damaging than others. The idea that she might never see her beautiful, blue-haired girlfriend again was most bothersome and nearly paralyzing, but she tucked those away in the far corners of her mind. Mild degrees of terror bubbled up here and there, but she stifled them with thoughts of Chloe. She had to push forward. There was nothing else.

At some point during her walk, she noticed the walls of the corridor slowly becoming visible. Dim light danced across the sides, ceiling, and floor in ripples. Ahead, she spotted a tiny, barely discernible glow. Hope was building in her heart, increasing her pace to a slight jog.

Approaching the light, she could finally recognize its origin. A single candle, no taller than her hand, rested on what appeared to be a wooden crate in the corner of the sixth and final wall.

“What now?” she asked the emptiness, causing the flame to wiggle and grow with a new and abrupt increase in oxygen. In the opposite corner of the candle, she suddenly noticed a pile of fabric and a pair of white glowing eyes. Her whole body jerked with fright. An old man sat, dwarfed by oversized clothing, with his head pointed in Max’s direction. His eyes were rolled back as if staring at his own brain seemingly oblivious to her presence. “He… hello?”

“It is a morpho,” he answered immediately, startling the girl. His voice was raspy and deep, reminding her of Principal Wells if he were fifty years older. His eyes rolled down and gazed upon the brunette, rapidly blinking several times.

“What?” the young girl asked, voice shaky, not understanding what the man meant. Terror ran through her body as her heart thumped at a quickened pace.

“The blue butterfly. You wondered the type. It is from the morpho genus,” he replied. After a brief moment, the man continued. “You have come a long distance, but I have been expecting you.”

“Umm...” Max cautiously kept her distance. “Who are you?” A thousand questions were sparking in her head. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

“I have no name,” he confusingly responded, looking down at his hands. “What do you see when you look at me?”

“Uhh,” she hesitated again, “you’re an old man with a long grey beard.”

“I have never used these eyes in this manner before.” The man wiggled his fingers then ran them through his beard. “When I look at you through time, I see a collection of cells and matter. I see you on an atomic level. But you are different here.” He slowly stood, almost falling once, and started walking towards her with squinted eyes. Max took a large step back and pivoted to the side preparing to run.

“What are you doing?” she apprehensively asked. “Don’t come any closer.”

“I have only seen you from a distance, but you are here now. I wanted to see you up close.” He made eye contact then stopped his approach and retreated back to the wall.

Feeling a bit of tension slide away, Max stepped forward, realizing the man was not a physical threat to her. “Where are we? Why are you here?”

“This place exists outside of time. I am here because it is my purpose.” The man walked up to the candle and continually ran his fingers back and forth through the flame. “Everything, bound by time or not, has a purpose.”

“What is your purpose?”

“My purpose is to watch. I must watch everything that has existed, is existing, and will exist bound by time.”

“So, you can see the future?” She hoped he would be able to help her figure out what to do. He rolled his eyes back in his head then returned to the front.

“I can see up until right now. The moment you crawled through the window, I could no longer see what will come. It is faded and burned.”

“Why am I here?”

“That is a great question. It must be part of your purpose.”

“What is my purpose?”

“I would say your purpose is to play your part in the cycle. You were chosen just as the others were. Why you are here, in this moment… I do not know. I have never seen another being in this place. My foresight has never been affected this way.”

“Are you a god?”

A small laugh escaped his dry mouth, ringing out from the enhancement of the empty chamber walls. “I am only here to serve my purpose, as you are yours.”

“What am I supposed to do now?”

“I do not know.”

“What DO you know then?” Max was getting aggravated with his short replies. “You mean you didn’t see this coming? Please, just tell me something I can use.”

“As far back as I can remember, good and evil has existed, weaving their way through time. In a desperate attempt to balance the warring sides, the cycle has taken tens of thousands of lives – one sacrifice for the many. A single person at a time assumes responsibility for the choice. The cycle cannot choose, it isn’t capable. Just as I am not capable of seeing past this moment right now.”

“How many have come before me?” Another panic began to float up from the pit of her stomach. She felt sick, but she couldn’t turn back, which gave her a sense of determination.

“Too many to recall.” The man turned around and faced the back wall. “This time feels different.”

“What is the difference between this time and the others?”

“Every time the person with the power has chosen, they have sacrificed the one to save the many. It is what must be done. Everyone has understood this fact. Some way, you chose both. I have never seen anything like it.”

“I hate the part of me that chose to sacrifice her. In both cases, I thought I was choosing love. On one hand, I was honoring her wishes. On the other hand, I was choosing to save her life. Given the choice again, I don’t care what she says, I’m choosing to save her! Her life means more to me than anything in this world. Anything! I will never choose a damn town over Chloe. Hell, I would never choose the world over her. She means too much to me.”

“Oh, but you must. The cycle demands a life. I know it to be true.” 

“I won’t do it. We love each other too much to be apart.” She folded her arms in front of her chest.

“There it is... love. Love is only a chain of chemical reactions in the brain. I have watched many people lose their sense of rationality because of love. There are too many deaths to count throughout time that can be traced back to that word.”

“Chloe and I are different!” the brunette shouted causing a thundering echo. “We are connected in everything.”

“Oh, I agree. You have no idea just how connected you two truly are. I see everything that exists as atoms and molecules, cells and matter. At the atomic level, beyond anything you could ever know, you two share a bond. In others who are in love, their atoms do not react the same as yours. Very much a yin and a yang, as your people would say. But none of that matters. A life is demanded. The cycle will collect.”

“I will sit here and starve to death before I allow Chloe to get hurt. It’s not happening, Watcher. You’ll just have to watch what happens. No matter what, this time will indeed be different.”

“You do not understand, Max Caulfield. Your being here is no accident. Everything has a purpose. Hmm,” he considered, “perhaps it is my responsibility to show you your path.” The man held out both hands, crossing and uncrossing repeatedly at the wrist. His old, feeble bones creaked and popped as he rapidly waved his arms.

“What are you doing?” Max demanded. Realizing she might be in trouble, she reached out attempting to rewind. No matter how hard she prodded the sweet spot, she couldn’t fully release the pulse. For a second, she thought she had it, but failed.

“The power does not work here. You should know that by now.” He continued waving his arms out in front of his body. “I am giving you the sight. You will see what I see. That way, you will understand what must be done.”

Immediately, she was blinded. A sharp, searing pain lasted for only an instant. She cried out clawing at her face, crumbling to her knees on the floor. Her eyes rolled back in her head and a dense white void replaced any semblance of vision. 

Suddenly, a scene began to play out as if Max were sitting too close in the front row of a movie theater. A man thoroughly kempt was standing on a cliff overlooking a large, crowded shopping mall at nighttime. She counted ten yellow school buses parked at the main entrance. The bold black letters on the sides read, _Deer Creek County Schools_.

The man on the cliff was very animated while talking to a beautiful redheaded woman. It was clear a heated argument was taking place. The man pointed towards the school buses then back at the mall. The earth began to tremble, then the man stretched his arm forward and disappeared. The scene quickly vanished with a flurry of grey smoke immediately swirling into another.

In a thickly coppiced area, the man, now clad in bright orange and camouflage, held the body of the lifeless redhead as an arrow jutted from a wet, scarlet spot above her stomach. A lone hunter with a bow draped over his shoulder sat on his knees behind a tree, face buried in his hands sobbing uncontrollably. The man holding his loved one turned, finally revealing his tear-soaked face. “Tom!” Max yelled. Her body winced with shock and empathy, and her heart broke for the couple. She wanted to weep, but the next scene swirled into focus too quickly to stew in thought.

Kids were smiling and laughing with their friends and parents as a jovial mass exodus began from the shopping mall. Moms and dads kissed and hugged their sons and daughters, cheery and full of delight. Bags and boxes were carried out the doors, as the families gathered on the buses and departed the area.

“He saved those kids and families from disaster,” she whispered aloud to herself. Another scene began playing immediately. Then another. Then another.

A plane crash averted, hundreds saved, a woman dies by gunshot. 

A massive tornado avoided, a city saved, a woman dies by fire in a burning house.

A tsunami prevented, thousands saved, a man dies by snake bite venom.

Over and over she witnessed death and loss, as choices were made. The same decision was chosen in every situation. Every. Single. Time.

An earthquake avoided, thousands saved, a man dies by decapitation in a car wreck.

The scenes were endless, looping from one to the next; thousands with the power saving hundreds of thousands of lives, sacrificing someone they loved in the process. “Let me out!” Max screamed as she raked at her eyes. “I can’t anymore!”

“You will watch until you understand.” She snapped her head in the direction of The Watcher’s voice, eyes still rolled back. She’d almost forgotten about the man. “Will you comply?”

“Never,” she defiantly replied through forcefully clamped teeth.

The scenes began to speed by. Faster and faster they flashed through her mind. Death. More death. Endless disasters prevented; numerous lives saved. Her body fell over comatose and she began to uncontrollably shake.

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.


	12. Forward

The sun was setting as she entered her hometown’s city limits. She was thankful Max recently filled her car with gas, because she refused to stop, going about 80 miles per hour most of way. She parked and grabbed her girlfriend’s bag from the passenger’s seat. Chloe ran as fast as she could up the path to the lighthouse, and saw her favorite blonde sitting on the bench.

“Good you’re here,” she wheezed, out of breath from the run, slouched over for a moment of rest. “I didn’t see your car.”

“I’ve been here a while, Chloe. My dad dropped me off, so you’ll have to give me a ride back to his house later. I know this is important to you, but damn, I’m pooped.” Rachel looked like she was about to pass out; she needed sleep badly. “I haven’t eaten that much in a long time, though. It was nice to catch up.”

“Hey, remember that one time we were eating dinner and you smashed your parents’ table to pieces? That was priceless… and I’m very punny tonight.” The punk loudly cackled to herself. She noticed her friend did not find her comments too amusing, so she quickly stopped giggling and faked a cough.

“Okay, Rach. I have no idea what the hell we’re supposed to do, I just know that… shit!” She grabbed the bench and was forced to take a seat beside her friend.

“Chloe, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Rachel reached over and placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder, pulling herself closer.

“Fuuuuck, it felt like Max rewound for maybe a second. It was like she tried but couldn’t quite do it. Dammit, Rachel, I think she’s in big trouble.” She stood up and paced back and forth in front of the bench. “You got any cigs?” She realized she hadn’t lit up in several days. Something about being back in Arcadia Bay and the stress of her partner’s current situation made her crave a smoke. That first drag of a freshly sparked cigarette would set her just right.

“No, and stop, please. You are going to drive me nuts. I do not know what we can do from here, but you need to calm down.” Chloe realized her friend was right. Until they knew what they needed to do, there was no point being overly stressed and anxious. Channeling her inner Long Max Silver, she decided to relax and wait for a sign.

“Before anything else, I want to give you something. I was thinking, I don’t wear it anymore and it represents a special time in our lives. I actually saved it just for you at the right moment, and this feels like a really good time.” Locking her hazel eyes on her blue-haired friend, Rachel tilted her head and smiled. “No matter what happens after all of this, please know I love you. Here, take it.” The blonde popped open a white padded box revealing the item. She reached in and pulled out her blue feather earring. She slowly touched Chloe’s neck and slid her hand down towards her chest. Grabbing ahold and revealing the girl’s bullet necklace, she clipped on the earring. “Looks damn good on you.” Releasing the necklace and tucking it back in, Rachel leaned over and pressed her lips against her friend’s cheek.

“I… I don’t know what to say. Thank you. I guess that’s the right thing. I love it.” She leaned over and put her head on her friend’s shoulder. “Rach, I’m so glad you’re here with me. It sorta feels like old times, just… different.” She pulled the necklace back out and ran her fingers through the feather. “I’ve told you about some really fucked up shit recently: time travel, different timelines, opening portals, mine and Max’s relationship; and you’ve had my back regardless of how crazy it all is, thank you for that.”

“OH! I know what,” the actress excitedly blurted out, turning to directly face her friend. “Let’s do that thing we used to do.”

“Uh, you’re gonna hafta be a little more specific there, Rach.”

“You lie down, here on the bench, and pretend it’s your truck. Put your head in my lap and let’s have an old-fashioned Rachel and Chloe therapy session.” She had a playful, yet loving look in her gorgeous alomond-shaped, hazel eyes.

“THAT might be the best idea I’ve heard today.” She scooted sideways and gently rested her head on Rachel’s legs, taking a deep breath and releasing.

“So, what seems to be bothering you, Miss Chloe Price?” the actress asked, with a bit of bass in her best doctor’s voice. “Tell me all of your troubles.”

“Well you see,” the therapy patient began, “there’s this girl.”

“Ah, it always comes back to a girl… sorry. Please continue.”

“There’s this girl, Doc. We grew up together. I think I had a crush on her even back when we were kids, I just didn’t realize it. All I knew was this girl is very special.” Chloe paused, meeting eyes with her therapist. “Are you really fine with this, Rach? I mean, we can stop if...”

“Yeah, no. You two are so damn cute together. I still think the three of us could have something special too, buuuuuuut, yeah, I’m good. Really.”

“There’s no way it could happen. I couldn’t risk her falling in love with you, Rach. She’s all mine, and I don’t think I would be good at sharing,” the blunette smirked.

“Honestly, I doubt that would happen; she is pretty locked in on you. It really seems like you’re the only thing that matters to Max. So…” the blonde continued, coughing in an attempt to get back into character. “Where were we? Ah, yes. This girl was special… Please continue.”

“I thought we were only playing pirates when we were kids, but she ransacked my ship and stole my heart.”

“Fuck, that’s beautiful, Chloe. You really are going soft.”

The patient held up her hand, with a specific finger raised in the middle. “Well, I was gonna say ‘she plundered me booty,’ but figured that wasn’t the best choice of pirate words.” The girls shared a laugh, and Chloe continued. “A wild crew called ‘parents’ swept her away, but she found her way back. She, uh, navigated the high seas to… uhm, dammit… Enough pirate talk!”

“Tell me about now, how things are now?” Rachel stroked her chin pulling downward on her imaginary beard.

“Well, this girl came back into my life with a superpower. She saved my life over and over again using said power. But now she’s somewhere I cannot go, and she’s in danger, and there’s nothing I can do. We both felt like it was important for her to go, but I’m not so sure now. I feel lost, Doc. I miss her so much.”

“Hmm, there’s always one thing you can do. You can hope. Hope is powerful, Chloe, I… I mean Ms. Price. We can both hope… for Max.” She leaned down and kissed her patient on the forehead while stroking her soft blue hair. They sat in silence embracing the moment of calmness, briefly escaping the current turmoil.

Chloe snapped back to reality and sat straight up. She turned to the girl, clutching both of her hands. “I have an idea. Remember how I told you some of Max’s power somehow seeped into me? Well, maybe I should try to use it here, right now. I have no idea how or why it would help bring her back, but shit, I feel like I should try it.”

Rachel nodded and released her friend’s hands. Chloe stood up, closed her eyes, and stretched her arm forward, palm pushing outward. She searched deep in her mind for the syrupy, meshed spot she previously discovered. She found endless crooks and crannies, dips and rises, valleys and peaks, but couldn’t locate the sweet spot. Reopening her eyes and lowering her arm, she looked back at the girl, still sitting on the bench, legs crossed. “I can’t find it. It was easier when she was with me.”

“Maybe somehow you need her near you to do it,” Rachel suggested, arms crossed at her chest with her hands tucked at the pits.

“I have to do this without her here, Rach. I have to keep trying. She needs me, I just know it.” The bluenette realized her own words sounded distressed and desperate, but it didn’t matter. “Here we go.”

She stretched her arm back out, towards the bay, and began her search. The endless grey rushed past as she frantically hunted. Getting frustrated, she tensed all the muscles in her body. As soon as she released, she noticed a bubbled, meshed area amongst the grey. “Fuck, there it is!” she screamed, startling her blonde friend. As she approached, she noticed the syrupy consistency of the bubble. She prodded the area, and her body violently began shaking.

“Chloe!” Rachel jumped up and grabbed the punk’s non-extended arm.

Suddenly, a pulsing blast erupted from her hand. “Shiiiiiiit!” Chloe screamed, voice bouncing with a stutter, eyes remaining tightly squeezed shut. Fear radiated through her body, causing her to quickly plug the pulse. Once it was shut off, she crumbled to the ground.

The high-pitched ringing in her ears rapidly diminished. Opening her eyes, she noticed Rachel stirring next to her also working her way back to a consciously controlled state.

“Fuck, what the hell was that?” Rachel incredulously asked. Helping each other up, they pushed their way to a standing position. The lighthouse beacon seemed much brighter than before; lights from the city glowed more radiant. “Look how dark it is now, Chloe. Damn. I don’t think you rewound; I think you just fast-forwarded.”

* * *

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

Over and over, one by one, the scenes continued to speed by. Every few moments, a word or two of gibberish escaped the brunette’s mouth, but nothing coherent.

After what seemed like an eternity, a wave of energy shot through the girl. Her eyes rolled forward and the trance was broken. “Chloe!” the girl screamed, lifting her body off the ground. “She’s searching for me; I can feel her.”

“How?” the Watcher shouted in disbelief, voice echoing through the chamber. “She is bound by time and you are here, outside of time.” The man stroked his beard and approached the girl. “But your connection stretches beyond time? Hmm. No wonder you are unable to be broken. I know the answer, but I must ask anyway. The cycle demands a life; will you comply?”

“Fuck no,” she replied without hesitation. “I will NEVER break! Do whatever you want to me, SHE is all that matters.”

“If you will not willingly comply, this will surely scramble your mind. Then, you will be unable to resist. You will comply without knowing you are doing so.” The Watcher began waving his arms again, more swiftly than before.

Max stood strong. She stepped forward and closed her eyes, tilting her head back slightly and taking a deep breath through her nose. Her chest was puffed forward, and her arms hung beside her, hands clenched. Reopening her eyes, she defiantly rebelled, “Bring your best, motherfucker.”

Despite her greatest resistance, her eyes were forced back in her head once again and the scenes continued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter preview:
> 
> [She was growing weaker and was forced to take a knee. “I have to get out of here.” Reaching as deep as she could, soaring past the grey, she located the meshed spot again. It took nearly everything she had remaining, but she drilled it as hard as she could. A tiny pulse sizzled outward, but quickly faded. The freckled girl fell to both knees, as her body was giving out.]


	13. The Sacrifice

The glow of Arcadia Bay, and the beam of the lighthouse beacon was enough to create a dim glow on the cliff where the girls remained. Rachel stood with her arms folded and her hips pushed to the side, watching her friend pace back and forth.

“What does this mean? Why can I fast-forward while Max can rewind? I don’t understand.” Chloe was rambling, trying to make sense of her recent discovery. The top of her white tank top was splotched scarlet from the liquid that dribbled from her nose after using her power.

“Why was I able to come with you?” Rachel questioned with an impatient sharpness to her voice. “I thought you'd only travel by yourself. I dunno.”

“It has something to do with touch. You were touching me, so it pulled you in, I think. When me and Max photo jumped, that’s how she took me with her. She also brought me on a rewind in her room before she disappeared.” Chloe continued to pace back and forth trying to wrap her brain around everything that was happening. “And when we opened the portal, we touched hands.” Her arms were propped behind her head as she attempted to unpack her thoughts, trying to figure out their next move.

“Maybe that’s it,” Rachel hypothesized. “Maybe Max’s rewind combined with your fast-forward, created a rift in space and time. Like two forces working together, yet pulling in opposite directions.”

The taller girl stopped pacing, and inquisitively looked over at her friend.

“What? You know I am more than just good looks and smoking hot body,” the blonde joked, as she playfully shoved Chloe’s shoulder. “I got that big brain energy.”

“Yeah, I know, Rach. That makes a ton of sense, actually. But I can’t use it here the same way; we were touching before.” She stomped back and forth with a heightened pace, and her mind was racing. She didn’t want to try the fast-forward again out of fear of screwing things up.

“Fuck, there it was again! Goddammit, she’s calling out, Rachel. I just felt her try to rewind. She needs me right now.”

Out of the corner of her eye, a tiny sparkle of light glinted from an object under the bench. Each time the beacon made a full rotation, the reflection twinkled in Chloe’s peripheral. She decided to focus in and find the object causing the distraction. She approached the bench and reached down. Her hand grabbed the sling from Max’s satchel and picked it up. One of her buttons was causing the shimmering reflection. Suddenly, she had a new idea; she knew there was a reason she brought it. She opened the bag and fished out the object she knew would be needed for some purpose.

The bluenette slung the bag over her shoulder and took out the napkin and unfolded it. “Rach, come over here. Do you have your phone? I need more light.”

“Oh, is that the poem you wrote for Max when we were sitting in her neighborhood?” she asked. Chloe confirmed the girl’s suspicion with a nod.

“Hold your phone’s light up so I can read it.” Chloe held her friend’s wrist to direct the light to the precise spot she needed. With her other hand, she held the napkin in place and began to read...

* * *

“I can’t do this anymore,” Max thought. The fear that previously paralyzed her body and mind had turned into a resolve for escape. Chloe was out there somewhere looking for her. She knew she’d felt her energy, and that gave her new life. The scenes of death and sacrifices, heartbreak and disaster continued to flash by. They were still devastating, but she kept her thoughts on her soulmate. She physically strained her body, mentally pushed her mind, and continued to fight. The more she fought the weaker she grew, but her hope continued to burn bright.

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

She was growing weaker and was forced to take a knee. “I have to get out of here.” Reaching as deep as she could, soaring past the grey, she located the meshed spot again. It took nearly everything she had remaining, but she drilled it as hard as she could. A tiny pulse sizzled outward, but quickly faded. The freckled girl fell to both knees, as her body was giving out.

It was then, in that moment, she heard her captain’s voice – just barely, like a whisper.

**EVERYWHERE I GO I CARRY YOUR HEART WITHIN ME**

“Chloe!” she bellowed. A single tear slid down her face, as she gasped for air. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard, and she remembered exactly where it was from.

**WHEN WE ARE APART EVERYTHING FEELS EMPTY**

“What are you doing?” she heard The Watcher ask. As the scenes rolled by, Max began to focus outwardly. An awareness of her immediate surroundings became clear. With her eyes still rolled back and unable to restore vision, a strength began to fill her up. She forced herself back to one knee. A memory of Chloe standing on the swing set with a makeshift telescope and a pirate hat flashed into her mind.

**THAT’S WHY I VOW TO NEVER LEAVE, I’LL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU**

“Where is this energy coming from?” The Watcher called out, voice booming with an echo. “It does not matter, Max Caulfield. The time will come, and you must make the sacrifice.”

Max recalled the time she and Chloe broke into Blackwell at night-time and went for a swim. She remembered how beautiful the blue-haired beauty looked that evening radiating with a blue hue.

**NO MATTER WHERE WE GO, I PROMISE WE’LL CONTINUE**

“A life is required…”

“Fuck you, Watcher!” Her voice trembled, but it wasn’t because of fear. She felt a surge of overwhelming energy beginning to flow through her.

**OUR PATHS ARE NOW ONE AND MY HEART IS SO HAPPY**

“You still do not understand…” His voice began to fade to the background of her mind. “A life must be…”

His voice dissolved as another memory swooped in. Chloe was standing in front of the closet in her room. “Whenever and whatever you want to try… for example, I dare you to kiss me!... I double dare you. Kiss me now.”

**YOU’VE CHANGED ME MAX, NOW I’M ALL SAPPY**

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

**BUT THAT’S JUST FINE SINCE YOU REALLY KNOW ME**

It took less focused force to move up to two knees. The girl smiled; her confidence was building as she pivoted her hips. She began to shift her weight working her way to a stand. Max recalled the moment Chloe first stepped in the shower. “Hi.” Her heart overflowed with love.

**WE ARE MORE THAN JUST TOGETHER, WE ARE MAX AND CHLOE**

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices. More death.

Death. Disasters. Sacrifices…

Another joyful tear slid down her face. Her smile twisted into a small giggle. Chloe’s voice thundered in her mind. Nothing else existed.

**HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN SAY THEY’RE IN LOVE WITH THEIR BEST FRIEND?**

The energy overflowed and was bursting at the seams. Max easily stepped up to a standing position. She inhaled and felt the cool air traveling through her body.

**I’M SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AND DON’T HAVE TO PRETEND**

“AAAARRRRR!” Her eyes released and shot forward. Vision and clarity returned. She could see The Watcher, the dim walls, and the flickering candle.

**FROM NOW ON YOU’LL ALWAYS GET EVERY PART OF ME**

**NOTHING ELSE MATTERS, THIS IS OUR DESTINY**

The Watcher’s face dripped with fear. He fell back, landing with his side against the wall, crouched, with his face in his hands and his arms around his knees. As she approached, his body trembled. Max assertively walked over to the candle, licked her pointer and thumb, and extinguished the flame. “NOOOOOO!” he screamed. It echoed through the chamber, followed by pitch black and an unnerving silence.

Max closed her eyes and found the sweet spot much more easily than ever before. It glowed a bright magenta color clearly standing out and separating from the grey. It was larger and more discernible than she had ever seen. “I’m coming home, my love…” Just as she was about to release the pulse, she heard the man’s body shift.

“Wait,” the Watcher whimpered, struggling for breath. “Your love is beyond understanding.” He coughed and hacked searching for air. “You know how to get back, but are you ready?” Wheezing and panting, the man could not have much more time remaining. “Even now, as you have made a believer out of me, I tell you, two choices can never be joined. You will still have a decision to make when you return to that day. A life is required, but the cycle does not specify which life.” The man abruptly kicked and squirmed and gasped. A bubbling noise came from deep within, followed by a final exhale.

“Watcher! What do you mean ‘return to that day’?” Max questioned, but no response was heard. She thought about his final words and what they meant. Out of everything the man said, and the horror he put her through, she didn’t think him to be a liar. She wondered if she truly had a choice. Was he really telling her what she thought? If the cycle wasn’t after her girlfriend specifically, that meant she could replace her and save Chloe’s life. The thought of dying terrified the girl, but the thought of any harm coming to her beautiful Chloe scared her even more. Her decision had been made.

Max stretched her arm out, smashed the sweet spot, and the pulse erupted.

* * *

The girls quietly waited after the poem had been read. Finally, Rachel broke the silence, “Chloe that was charming, but do you think it... ya know... did a damn thing?”

“I dunno. I doubt it was enough, if it did anything at all. I think I need to…uh, fast-forward again. Max has been calling out to me with her rewind. I need to fucking respond. If I can feel her, I know she can feel me.” Chloe extended her arm and pointed towards the cliff. The actress nodded and the girls met at the edge. “Hold me, Rach. I need you with me.”

Chloe held onto the shorter girl’s hand as she reached out with her opposite arm and closed her eyes. The meshed, raised spot was becoming easier to locate. She found it and asked her friend, “Are you set?”

“Let’s do this,” she eagerly replied.

Just as Chloe was pressing into the area where the power resided, she felt Max’s pulse nearly knock her to the ground. “Oh, shit!” she yelled, but never released the power. A circular, tunneled effect rotated in and their surroundings bled from side like wet paint dripping down a canvas. The lighthouse, the city, and the bench all disappeared behind a horizontally twisting spire. Simultaneously, she felt her friend’s hand, her own fast-forward power, and the effects of Max’s rewind. Her legs felt balanced, but she couldn't tell if she was standing or floating.

Deep in the distance, the girls watched as a bright white flare ripped open a large hole in the air like it did back in Max’s bedroom. This time, the hole was roughly the size of a door, large enough to comfortably walk through. It shined bright like the early sun peeking over the horizon and was almost too much to look at directly.

Nearly having depleted all of her energy, Chloe began slowly releasing her power. Just as she released the first bit of pressure, she noticed a shadow emerging from the door. Light spilled out like an eclipse blocking a clear view of the shadow’s owner. Rapidly approaching, it came straight towards them at a brisk speed. It appeared a collision was imminent so the taller girl fully released her pulse and was forcibly knocked to the ground.

The tunnel and door winked out to nothing, and Chloe noticed a figure pulling her up and to her feet. A muffled voice was yelling in her direction, but she couldn’t quite make out what was being said. Her ears were ringing and sound seemed just out of reach. She felt the wind pick up and raindrops soaking her clothes and hair. Sound was phasing back in and she could finally discern what the voice was screaming.

“Chloe! Chloe!” She felt a body crash into hers and squeeze tightly. “We’re back together!” She felt her head being pulled forward and a pair of slightly cracked, chapped lips landing on hers. She thought the voice sounded sweet and beautiful, and she missed it so much.

“Max?... Oh, Max. YES, we did it! Goddamn, I’m so glad to see you! I was so fucking scared.” Clarity was returning as she embraced her partner’s warmth. She removed the satchel from around her neck and helped Max sling it across her shoulder. A loud, high-pitched grinding sound clashed with the clamor of rushing wind.

“Oh, fuck,” they heard a third girl’s voice behind them dreadfully call out. Turning towards the voice, they saw Rachel pointing down towards the bay, mouth hanging open and eyes nearly popping out of her head. Slowly turning to face the direction she was pointing, they witnessed a massive storm descending towards Arcadia Bay… THE storm.

“No,” Chloe said, horrified and moving towards her girlfriend. “Fuuuuuck! No, n-not again.” She and Max locked eyes and realized they had traveled back to the day of that unfair decision. “We’ve been through too much! FUUUUUCK!”

“Chloe, there’s so much I need to tell you, and I may never get the chance after this…”

“What are you talking about, Max?”

“The two choices could never be merged into one. Our love is so strong, it pulled both decisions together. It took us ripping a hole in fucking space and time for me to realize it, but one decision must be chosen. One life is demanded by the cycle. If we don’t comply, we’ll be back here again, over and over, until we do.” Max pointed towards her partner’s pocket. Chloe slid her hand in and retrieved its contents, pulling out the butterfly photo Max had taken in the Blackwell restroom. It seemed like a lifetime since they had last seen that picture, and it made her heart sink knowing what it represented.

“No... no, no! There’s got to be another way, Max! No fucking way we’ve come so far only to end up here again. I can’t leave you. Yeah, I’m afraid to die, but I’m more afraid of what will happen to you after I’m gone. It’s my job to protect you. Forever! We’re goddamn Max and Chloe! FUUUUUCK!”

“I won’t let you die, Chloe. I’ve made my decision.” The brunette reached out and seized the photo from her girlfriend and began to focus on the picture.

“NO!” Chloe screamed, as she violently reclaimed the item. “I know what you’re doing, you goddamn beautiful bitch!” The rain was pounding down, soaking the girls. “There’s no fucking way I’m letting you take my place. If I lose you, that’s it for me too. You might as well pull the trigger on both of us.” Max snatched at the picture, grasping one corner, while her girlfriend held tight onto the other. A small tugging match ensued, ending in a stalemate.

“Either way,” the smaller girl explained, “I have to go back. At that point, it’s my decision. I’ll need the photo regardless, so you might as well release it and let me go. I know it isn’t fair, but there is no other way. A life is required. Shit!”

Out from their peripherals, a hand swooped down and grabbed the picture, ripping it away from the duo. “I understand…. this is the only way now. Max, take good care of her. And Chloe, precious Chloe… don’t forget about me…” The blonde winked after a small curtsy. “Laters,” she whispered, as she pinched opposite sides of the photo and tore it down the middle.

Immediately, a curtain of bright yellow and red flames and wind enveloped the girl. A booming shriek blasted from the center, then the flames vanished and a translucent doe stood peering at the two girls. 

“RACHELLL!” Chloe screeched, as the doe turned and pranced towards the woods, dematerializing as it entered. “Max, rewind! PLEASE!” Her eyes were peeled back, jaw clinched, rivers flowing from her face.

The time traveler held her hand out, closed her eyes, and began exploring the grey. She searched, and the sweet spot was no more. “It’s gone, Chloe. I can’t feel it anymore. Fuck!”

Chloe grabbed the girl by her shirt with both hands near the collar. “Try again!” Noticing the empathetic look in the freckled girl’s eyes and watching her shake her head, she realized the power was gone. Releasing her grip, she closed her eyes and searched for her own piece of the power. It, too, was nowhere to be found.

Chloe clutched her bullet necklace and tenderly stroked the feather earring her lost friend gave her only moments earlier. The girls, overflowing with tears and pain, held each other and stood on the cliff just watching, as the storm destroyed their hometown and everyone in it… again.


	14. A Darkened Plume

December 19, 2013

It’s been a while since I’ve written here, and part of me feels silly needing this thing anymore. When I read my old entries, I sorta cringe. I used to draw doodles everywhere, and it all seems so childlike now for some reason. I feel like a completely different person from the day I was accepted into Blackwell until now. I probably won’t write every day, but after the last couple of months, I’m hoping this will help clear my mind a bit. Plus, I heard Chloe laugh this morning for the first time in what seems like forever. I literally teared-up hearing the old Chloe still in there. 

Losing Rachel was hard on her. Losing Rachel a second time broke her. When we left Arcadia Bay, we had a long conversation. Well, I did all the talking while Chloe drove us to Seattle. Occasionally, she would nod and mumble. “Yeah, ok, Max,” she’d say, while blankly staring at the road. I’d catch her looking over at me from time to time, but not much more. 

I explained how Rachel was a hero by saving not only our lives, but the lives of countless others. The cycle demanded a life and she sacrificed herself making damn sure it wouldn’t be either of us. In choosing to save us, she tricked the cycle, which accepted her life, rather than our lives, apparently resetting the timeline to the original storm day. I’m not 100% how any of it works, though. 

I also explained what I learned about our deep connection, The Watcher, the atomic level, and the yin and the yang stuff - how she could fast forward while I could rewind, but she only nodded. I think she has accepted everything, but I really don’t know. It breaks my heart seeing my beautiful blue-haired punk with tats and ‘tude so… lifeless. 

She did open up a little yesterday. She briefly expressed regret in not calling Joyce during the week that never happened. At the time, we didn’t understand we only had one week before we would return to the day of the storm. How could we have known? I deeply regret not reaching out to Kate or Warren too. Part of me is still hopeful Kate somehow survived in the hospital. I’ve tried her phone several times, but it seems to have been disconnected. 

David stuck around town helping pull bodies from the rubble. From my understanding, he worked as a point person on the rescue team. He and Victoria were among the only survivors by being down in the fucking darkroom during the storm. As soon as we left, he called Chloe and they had a similar conversation to the first one - it was kinda eerie. After that, she was mostly silent despite my pleas to not keep things bottled up inside. She did hold my hand tightly most of the trip – that was really nice. There’s probably a textbook somewhere with a definition for how she feels. How would science even begin to explain what we went through during those weeks? Aside from the laughter this morning, she seems to have two settings: 

1) Hollow/Empty 

2) Overly protective of me 

She snapped at the gas station attendant last weekend for disrespecting me. He didn’t even really do anything wrong. I questioned the change he handed back and he corrected me. Then she jumped down his throat and caused a huge scene. I had to drag her away. She doesn’t want me to ever be out of her sight for longer than a minute or so, which includes bathroom time. In the shower, I can hear the door crack. She briefly sticks her head in and listens, just to make sure I’m okay. 

We hug all the time, but it feels more like she’s just holding on to me rather than any show of affection. I feel a little guilty because all I want to do is be around her, so I can’t say I mind her protectiveness. She also kisses me on the lips sometimes, but it feels very mechanical and never more than for a second or two. We’ve not had any more shower-like experiences together, which I really want to get back to at some point. I have zero doubt she is still in love with me, I just miss the goopy stuff. Those were my favorites. Like everything else, we need time. I just miss… us. 

“TIME” 

It’s strange thinking about that word now. I haven’t been able to rewind in months. I think it’s gone for good, and I’m very glad. I can see why Tom turned out the way he did, having the power for six months - wowser. In a way, I miss how it made my body tingle. It being gone, though, means my purpose has been fulfilled, and we might actually be able to move on and have normal lives… one day… I hope… 

Speaking of normal lives, I am studying to earn my GED. The exam is scheduled for early February. I couldn’t go back to school after everything we’d been through, but Mom and Dad insisted I earn my diploma. They’ve been so supportive of me and Chloe, which I’m very thankful for. They told us we could live with them as long as we needed to. We’ve never had the conversation, but they know we sleep in the same bed, and I noticed that Mom saw us, a few weeks back, when Chloe kissed me goodnight in the hall. She just smiled and turned back towards the kitchen. 

I’ve picked the camera back up. I guess I never completely put it down, but I went several weeks without the desire to snap a shot. Even though we’re both a bit fucked up, Chloe is still as beautiful as ever, and I can’t resist taking as many photos of her as possible. She hasn’t colored her hair since before the first storm week. It’s beginning to fade some, but I really like it. You can see the strawberry blonde roots showing just a bit. Blue-haired Chloe is wonderful, but there’s something special about her natural hair color coming through. It probably reminds me of us playing as kids together. Those were some of the best days of my life.

Tonight, in bed, I am going to ask Chloe to cuddle with me. She used to clutch Rachel’s feather earring to her chest and fall asleep facing the opposite direction, but I always woke up with a part of her body touching me. Sometimes it’s a foot or a hand, just causally grazing my leg or arm. Other times she has an arm completely over me. I feel pretty messed up when I think about what we went through, but I can’t even imagine what she’s feeling now. I realize abandonment is all she’s ever truly known, which is largely my fault, in a way, and she’s afraid something bad will happen to me. Deep down she fears I will in some way leave her. 

**THAT WILL NEVER FUCKING HAPPEN!**

**I AM NEVER LEAVING YOU CHLOE!!**

**NEVER!!!**

December 20, 2013

Last night was amazeballs! I asked Chloe if she would hold me and she readily agreed. We didn’t talk much, but we kissed a lot. It was so sweet and… raw. Just writing this fills my heart. Even though she’s been lying next to me every night for months, I’ve missed her so much! It feels like we’ve been wandering around in a fog for the longest time. The last few days have been a little better. I can see the beacon guiding us into the light. We have a long way to go, but the waters don’t seem as choppy as they once were. 

December 22, 2013

We fell asleep in each other’s arms again. When I woke up, Chloe was lying there staring at me. Her clear sapphire eyes are the perfect sight to wake up to, my dog! I feel like a schoolgirl, hoping my crush just notices me. The best part, when she realized I was awake, after our eyes locked, she smiled at me. Fuck, she fucking smiled! I love it when she smiles. Then she traced my face with her fingertips, and we kissed for several minutes. 

She asked if we could talk and I nearly wept. Yeah, I know… it’s only been a couple of months, but it feels like so much longer since we’ve had a real conversation. She basically just told me how pretty I am over and over again. I’ve never been good at taking compliments, but when she says it, I believe it. We hadn’t connected like that in quite a while. No, we didn’t REALLY talk about anything earthshattering, but I think that’s absolutely fine. We’ve had enough earthshattering shit to last ten lifetimes. 

I keep seeing signs she’s coming around, but I have this feeling that something is still missing. I noticed Chloe rub Rachel’s feather on her necklace earlier, and it gave me an idea. At this point, it feels like my idea will help Chloe, and me, move on. I just want to give her something she wasn’t able to have before. With Christmas coming up, and me having zero moolah, this will be my gift to her. The toughest part will be getting her to give me enough time and space to set it up without her knowing. If I still had my rewind it would be much easier. I’ll definitely need my parents to help. Something just feels right about Christmas Eve. It feels like the perfect time... 

* * *

“Chloe!” Max’s mom called from downstairs, which was all part of the plan. “I need your help!” Chloe shot up from her normal spot on the bed and muted the TV. She quickly turned her head and locked eyes with Max, seemingly shocked. Most days, she just laid around watching Netflix or a cable show - with the occasional hugging session that Max loved so much. She rarely interacted with Ryan and Vanessa besides infrequent meals at the dinner table. She mainly remained silent with short one-word answers during those awkward moments. The brunette nodded in confirmation and Chloe opened the door, heading out of the room and down the stairs. 

Max knew she did not have much time. She acted quickly, pulling out the small square folding table and large cardboard box her father had hidden in the upstairs closet. She set up the table in the corner of her room and covered it with a nice satin tablecloth. From the box, she pulled out a single candle, three nice china dinner plates, silverware, and a vase already containing two red roses. On one plate Max laid another, a white rose. Next to each place setting, a wine glass awaiting to be filled from a bottle her Dad offered without question. Over the back of one chair, Max carefully placed a familiar flannel shirt.

Once Max completed the preparations she reached into the box for the remaining items and moved over to the other wall; her photo wall. Carefully she rearranged the pictures in order to make room and filled the spaces with dozens of new additions. She had this new arrangement in her mind for days, so it was nice to finally realize it with the photos that she had recently received back from the printers. Max stepped back and looked at her handiwork, patiently straightened a larger picture that was slightly crooked, and then dimmed the lights so only the table glowed by candlelight. It was time to get dinner before Chloe caught on.

Max quietly opened the door and looked to make sure Chloe was not in sight. She headed down the stairs and poked her head into the kitchen just as her mother turned to work on their meal. Each caught the others' attention. 

"Where's Chloe?" Max whispered as loud as she could and still retain a soft voice.

"She's getting a couple of bottles of wine,” her mom responded, pointing towards the garage.

"Uh, that's not going to be enough time, is it?" 

Vanessa winked at her daughter. "Don't worry, sweetie. I asked her to get the ones on the bottom. If I know Chloe, she won't pass up a challenge." 

"Sneaky. Is everything ready?" 

"Go grab the plates and I'll get things taken care of down here." 

Max quickly raced back up to her room, collected two plates, and returned to find her Mom slicing dinner. The smell of the roasted meat, potatoes, and other side dishes filled the kitchen with savory scents. They both carefully plated two servings for each of the girls and then Max headed back upstairs. 

When she reached her room, she realized she hadn't the hands to open the door. Luckily, her Mom had knowingly followed behind her and helped her not only open the door but offer a piece of advice. "Max, you might need this." Vanessa held out a corkscrew for the unopened bottle of wine on the table. With a quick wink and a small chuckle, she went back downstairs to finish dinner. Max quietly closed the door, set the plates in place, sloppily uncorked the bottle, and poured some wine for each place setting. 

With the candle lit, Max moved back to the door, cracking it open just in time to hear Chloe enter from the garage. Her mom and her girlfriend held a brief conversation, and then she heard footsteps on the stairs. Max slowly opened the door, walked out, and closed it behind her back to patiently wait for the person this whole evening was about. 

A few seconds later, faded blue hair, then blue eyes, and finally a punk goddess rose from the stairwell to be met by the shorter brunette. They looked at each other quietly, then Max reached out her hand and softly took Chloe's, guiding her into the candlelit room. 

"Max? What's this?" 

"It's for both of you. And it’s for both us." 

"Both?" Chloe was caught off guard. She looked perplexed yet curious.

"You and Rachel, Chloe. Come, sit down." Max pulled out the chair directly across from another and waited for her partner to sit. Then Max sat down between the two, completing the trio of guests. 

Chloe looked at the table and the place settings. Then she glanced at the roses in the vase and the one across from her and realized what Max was doing. Her facial expressions showed a whirlwind of emotions, but the blue-haired girl remained silent.

"It's okay, Chloe, take your time. Why don't you try dinner?" 

Chloe looked down at her plate then back at her girlfriend, then back to her plate. She started in on her dinner, slicing meat, tasting small bites, sipping the wine. All the while, she couldn't stop looking at the vacant seat across the table. She continued to unsuccessfully bottle up her feelings to the point her body started to shake with the unreleased sobs. 

Max reached over and took Chloe's free hand, covering it with her own. Both young women sat there as the candle’s light slowly flickered, seeming just enough to shine on the three roses; two together, one apart; laying at a place of honor, friendship, and love. Silence filled the room, and the girls could only hear each other breathing.

“You were right, you know. You said you wished we had met, and that we would be great friends.” Max broke the silence with tender words, not more than a whisper. 

“…Yeah…” Chloe responded.

“And we did meet. We became friends.” 

Chloe looked towards her, eyes wide and watery. She blinked once, and the tears started. She squeezed her eyes closed trying to stop them, trying to be strong, but nothing in time or space could stop it. Chloe attempted to restrain her emotions as tears dropped onto the white tablecloth. Gasping for breath that she could not catch, the anguish and pain poured out as she finally mourned her lost angel. 

Max patiently moved her chair next to Chloe’s and encircled her arms around her girlfriend’s neck and chest, while Chloe sought the refuge of Max’s shoulder. She lay there crying onto Max, soaking her shirt. All the while, Max rocked her and whispered quiet words of love, understanding, and encouragement to let it all out. In the dim room, the candle continued its slow decent casting ever changing shadows on the ceiling and walls, yet never hiding the three flowers that adorned the table. 

Chloe cried until she was out of tears and still, she clung to Max. The wracking sobs had exhausted her and left her voice rough and broken. 

“It’s so hard, Max.” 

“I know.” Max slowly and tenderly rubbed her girlfriend’s back, giving her as much time as she needed.

Minutes passed as the girls held each other. 

“Why? Why did it have to be her? Why Rachel?” 

Max was silent for a few more minutes. She turned and kissed the top of Chloe’s head and then carefully lifted her girlfriend’s chin to gaze into her puffy yet still gorgeous eyes. 

“Because she’s _our_ angel. Rachel chose us. She chose to give us our chance, and she will always have a special place in _our_ hearts.” 

Chloe gazed longingly into Max’s eyes searching for meaning and truth in the one person she trusted above all others. In those eyes, reflecting three candlelit roses she found what she needed. She found friendship and gratitude for what Rachel had done. But more, she found an overwhelming sense of love pouring out to her. A love that had been given a chance because Rachel had chosen them over herself. The love wrapped itself around Chloe’s broken heart like a warm blanket, comforting her, mending her.

As she continued to gaze at her love, Max carefully dried Chloe’s cheeks where the rivers had run. Then she took both of her hands and slowly stood up. 

“I have something for you,” Max said. 

Walking backwards, never once looking away from Chloe, Max guided them towards the other side of the dim room. She reached over and turned up the lights to illuminate her photo wall. 

“See?” 

Chloe raised her eyes and looked behind Max. The familiar photo wall was always Max’s personal gallery of memories. It was record of events which, more often than not, featured herself or the two of them together. Yet this evening, it had been rearranged. Chloe’s eyes drifted amongst the images and picked out new additions, some were photos Max hadn’t taken. These new pictures featured herself and Rachel, and in some cases Rachel alone. The images presented fond memories of fun, companionship, new love, and excitement the two girls shared in their time together. The clusters of new images were grouped around a larger one, the centerpiece, lit more brightly as if the lighting had been purposely arranged. It was the shot of the three of them Max had taken right before Rachel left for Arcadia Bay. It showed all three, laughing, happy, and most importantly together. Having been in her bag during the storm events, the photo thankfully made it out unscathed. Below the picture was a framed caption, crafted carefully with scripted lettering. 

** Hella Best Friends Forever **

**“ _Rachel Dawn Amber, our friend, our hero, our angel. Should you find your way back to us, you will always be welcome. Always. Until then, you live on in our hearts forever._ ” **

Beside the picture, in a nicely matted blue frame, was a single napkin. The napkin still messily contained the words that not only touched Max’s heart deeply, but also filled her with strength and courage allowing her to break free from The Watcher’s trance. It signified the pure love the two girls shared for one another, and belonged amongst the wall of significant and loving memories. 

Next to the blue frame, and beside the lettering, was a small unadorned peg. 

Chloe was mesmerized by the scene and continued to focus on the three of them. The images expanded in her view until the only person she could see was Rachel herself. She had always been beautiful, but this specific picture was something else. It captured who Rachel really was, not just her looks, but her fun-loving, often impulsive, friendly self in a moment of her real life. And as Chloe stared, it was like Rachel knew who was watching, as she was captured for all time winking back at the camera, at Chloe. A small smile, but a genuine one, formed on Chloe’s face. 

With slow movements, Chloe released Max’s hands and reached to her necklace. On it was Rachel’s feather earring that had been close to her heart these many days. She carefully released it from its tether, cupped it in both hands, and raised it to her lips, brushing it lightly. 

“Thanks, Rach.” 

She then placed the feathered treasure onto the empty peg, where it fluttered once in the air currents and then came to rest nestled next to the photograph. It completed the scene.

“Thank you, Max.”

After a few minutes, the pair returned to the table where each raised their glass and stood facing the empty chair.  
  
A silent toast to their friend… 

* * *

The dishes had been put away, and the table cleared for a couple of hours. Max and Chloe were in the middle of the bed lying on their sides just gazing at one another, two pairs of beautiful sapphire eyes locked. Hands were held and fingers intertwined, as the girls embraced their love, enjoying the occasional kiss or two.

“Max,” the older girl tenderly said after a gentle kiss on the lips, “Merry Christmas.” Max looked over at the clock on her nightstand - it read 12:00am. “Thank you for my gift, it means so much to me.”

“Merry Christmas, Chloe. I love you.”

“Max, I love you too. And I’m sorry for being distant for so long. That memorial… thingy, was so goddamn beautiful. I don’t deserve you.”

“No, Chloe, we deserve each other. You’re my perfect person. And please don’t apologize for grieving. I’m NEVER leaving your side… never. Do NOT forget that. In sickness and in health, I will always be here. Forever.”

“Should we just say our vows and go ahead and get hitched,” the bluenette said with a smirk. “I mean, we might as well, right?”

“Well, you have to propose to me first,” Max giggled in her hands.

“Whoa, why do I have to be the one to ask? Shouldn’t you ask me, Maxter?” She gently pushed the freckled girl’s shoulder batting her eyes in the process.

“It doesn’t matter one bit to me who asks, or if we do or don’t. No piece of paper is needed to know we’re in love with each other. Chloe, I know I keep saying it, and I know it was in your amazing poem, but I can’t stop thinking about how lucky I am. You’re my best friend, and you’re so much more; you’re my everything. No matter what happens next, if we’re together, nothing else matters.”

“So goopy, Caulfield… so damn goopy…” Chloe pushed the girl over on her back, crawled on top, and began kissing and dragging her tongue along sensitive areas of her neck. Max released a pleasurable moan while reaching up and running her fingers gently through slightly faded blue hair. The older girl sat up, still straddling her best friend, and tied her hair back with a band. “You’re all that matters to me too, Maximus. I love you more than anything in this world.”

She slid off and back to her side of the bed and continued. “You said don’t apologize, but I really am sorry. I know you’ve waited on me, and you’ve been with me through this. It felt like I was trapped in a dark cloud and couldn’t see my way out. The only thing that kept me sane was your love. Your clear blue eyes cut through the darkness, and your beautiful flawless face and freckles radiated… and…”

“Chloe are you trying to make me cry,” the brunette interrupted. “Because it might just work. Who’s the goop now, dork?”

“I guess we both are, but I can’t help it. It’s all your fault, Maxi Max.” Chloe began attacking her partner with a barrage of pecks and short kisses. She pulled back and traced Max’s freckles with her fingertips as she frequently did.

“Chloe, I feel like we’re at a crossroad,” Max mentioned, changing the subject. “What are we doing next? I guess we need to get our own place at some point, and I’ll earn my GED in a couple of months. Are you still sure you don’t want to get yours? Mom and Dad said they’d pay, and it would be super easy for you, you’re the smartest person I know.”

“Naah, I’m still sure; not really interested. BUT, Max… I… uh, didn’t want to say anything yet, but I have an idea for what we do next. Since I didn’t get you anything for Christmas, I want to do something special for you. Focus on your GED for now, and I’ll do my thing.”

“Aww, Chloe. You don’t have to do anything for me.”

“Dude. Are you kidding me? I made a promise to myself to take care of you. I know you’ve taken care of me the past couple of months, but now it’s my turn. Plus, if this thing turns out good, it’ll be for both of us and our future. All I want to do now, is give you special experiences.”

“Every experience is special if you’re with me, Chloe.”

No more words were needed. The girls embraced in an affectionate tangle of kisses, and playful groping, eventually falling asleep in each other’s arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to give a huge and personal thank you to [Jibbypuff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jibbypuff/pseuds/Jibbypuff). This chapter was co-authored by him for a very specific reason. I always knew Max was going to give Chloe the closure she needed so she would be able to fully let Rachel go. The memorial was planned from the beginning, but Jib helped bring the scene to life with some amazing and beautiful words. As he puts it... "Rachel holds a special place in my heart," so I couldn't think of a better person to assist with this very important moment for Chloe, as well as Max.
> 
> Jib has also written this same scene from Rachel's point of view. Rachel made the ultimate sacrifice to give Max and Chloe what they deserve... each other. His Rach POV one shot helps to show this in a more vivid manner. You can find it below:
> 
> [She Chose Them](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22874029)
> 
> Two more chapters to go... thank you for hanging around! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!


	15. M3

Returning home from the restaurant, Max and Chloe headed upstairs after saying good night to Ryan and Vanessa. They had gone out to dinner, to Max’s favorite upscale restaurant, on a rare Thursday evening in celebration of her passing GED results. At the insistence of her mom, Max wore her new laced, pale-pink dress, while Chloe refused to dress up too much. Vanessa took the girls out shopping earlier in the week, and Chloe picked out a teal, flannel plaid dress with different sizes of white and black horizontal and vertical lines.

Closing the door to Max’s upstairs bedroom, Chloe was relieved to finally be able to spend some time alone with her girlfriend. As soon as the door shut, the petite brunette surprisingly shoved her partner against the wall beside the dresser, grabbed her face with both hands, and enthusiastically slid her soft lips across the girl’s mouth. Several passionate moments passed, and Chloe pushed away, inviting a disappointed grunt from her freckled lover.

“Okay, okay, Mad Max. I know I look damn good right now, but I need you to hold your horses. We’ll have plenty of time to… well, do whatever we want. By the way, I’m very proud of you, babe, AND you’re so fucking hot in that pink dress. I just wanna tear if off and… OKAY, stop! Damn.” She took a deep controlled breath and gathered herself. “I need to show you something.”

Chloe reached out a hand, lightly clutching her girlfriend’s and escorted her over to the computer desk. “It’s a big surprise, to be honest, and your dad spent some time helping me with the paperwork and shit. Your parents are super supportive of it... Anyway…”

“What’s going on, Chloe?” Max curiously probed.

“I know Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, but I want this to be my gift to you. I still feel terrible that I missed giving you something special on Christmas, so I’ve been working on this since then.” Chloe rolled out the small desk chair, assisted Max in sitting down, and leaned over to control the mouse. Max quickly tilted her chin up and pulled Chloe’s head down for a quick kiss. “Behave, Max,” she reluctantly demanded. “We need to focus; this is our future.” She noticed the corners of her girlfriend’s mouth curl upward after her last statement.

Chloe wiggled the mouse to close the screen saver, then opened a browser and proceeded to her bookmarks. “Remember when you asked what we’re gonna do next? THIS is what we’re doing next, and for the rest of our lives, I think.” The taller girl took her girlfriend’s hand and guided it down to the mouse. With her own hand still on top of the smaller girl’s, she highlighted the bookmark titled “TOP SECRET.”

“Was I so focused on the GED I didn’t notice this before?” Max asked. “You are very sneaky, Chloe Price.”

“Don’t get mad at the name, I think it’s funny as shit - but also beautiful because I, for one, love your name.” She proudly patted herself on the chest. “Go ahead, open ‘er up.” The brunette double clicked the ‘TOP SECRET’ bookmark, and a browser window popped up leading to a website. In elegant, pink letters trimmed with gold at the top, the website was titled:

**MAKING MEMORIES with MAXINE – M3**

“Chloe, what is this? And… Maxine?” The photographer’s eyes were wide with wonder.

“Just click around, check it out,” The taller girl nervously snickered looking over the sitting girl’s shoulder. She knew how much time she had put into building the online shop, but she was not sure Max would be happy about it. She recalled a time when her girlfriend was reluctant to enter a contest at Blackwell despite her excellent work. Now that several of her photos were posted online for the world to not only see but purchase, she hoped things would be different.

After searching the site, in silence, for what felt like an eternity, Max spun around to face the sneaky mastermind. “Fuck, say something,” Chloe desperately demanded.

“You did all this?”

“Well, yeah. Your photos are fucking brilliant, dude. And check this out.” She grasped a manilla folder from its hiding spot between two books on the shelf. She opened the folder, revealing its contents. “You are the official business owner of Making Memories with Maxine, LLC, dba M3. It’s sorta a mouthful when you say the whole thing, but I’m just calling it ‘M3’. Ryan helped set up the business and, guess what, you’ve already sold a ton of your pictures – several hundred dollars worth! I’ve been on the socials plugging the shit outta it. I wanted to go live like right now for you, but your dad thought it might help seeing sales already coming through, so we’ve been live for a week.” She paused, waiting for Max’s reaction. “Dude, did I do good?”

“Chloe!” The newly professional photographer shot up and pushed her lover backwards and all the way to the bed, landing face first on top. “You are amazeballs! Of course, you did good.” The smaller girl attacked her girlfriend with an onslaught of kisses.

Marginally pulling her face back, Chloe interjected, “I wasn’t sure if you would be…”

“Besides waking up next to you every day,” Max beamed, cutting Chloe off, “all I’ve ever wanted was for my photography to feel validated. It looks like you’ve made that happen for me. For us. I couldn’t be happier.” 

“YEEEEES! I’m so happy you’re happy, because Max, you really do have a talent. I’ll be your manager and we’ll grow an empire!” The tattooed girl manically cackled, with an evil inflection. “Was that a bit much?”

“Maybe,” Max giggled, “but Chloe, this feels perfect. Maybe we can eventually make enough money to move out and start our life together. I never thought my photos would ever really be worth anything. I mean, I hoped, but it feels good to know others value my art. It makes me proud that people are actually spending money on something I’ve created.”

“Goddammit, Max. Your growing confidence is intoxicating. I knew when you found it, you’d be unstoppable… OH!” Chloe jumped up, remembering something important. “I didn’t even tell you the other good news. Actually, it’s GREAT news! When we set up the company, your dad also helped with bank account stuff. Your parents love you so much, Maximus. We have a business account now. They deposited $3,000 for business expenses.”

“Wowser.” Max whispered, apparently in astonishment. “That’s a lot of money.”

“Well, it’s really not a ton for running a business, but it’s a start.” Chloe sat up and plopped down behind her partner, massaging her neck and shoulders, working her way up and down the spine. “I want to run something by you, Max, and I think you should really consider it. Hear me out. We take the money, upgrade your camera situation, and hit the road. Of course, you’ll still fucking crush it with the Polaroid, but when we’re traveling, you can take digital shots too. We can update the store and travel the country together. What do you think?” She knew she was talking fast, but she could barely contain her excitement. 

“I would love traveling around with you, Chloe. More adventures for Captain Bluebeard and Long Max Silver, right? God, I love you. And I’ll never get tired of the pirate references. That time in our life means so much to me.” The girls turned and faced each other in the middle of the bed. 

“Max, you’re the goop master… and I’m your goopy sidekick. Now, one last surprise before we call it a night and get ready for bed…”

“ANOTHER surprise?” Max interrupted. “Chloe, you’ve already outdone yourself.”

“Well, I know you always dreamed of having your photography in a gallery, and since it’s my life mission to make your dreams come true…”

“Chloe, what did you do?”

“I made a few calls, not taking ‘no’ for an answer… Are you ready?”

Without missing a beat, the hipster responded, “I’m the readiest.”

Chloe paused and bit her lip, locked eyes with her girlfriend, then slowly shook her head. “Max, please. You know I can’t resist you when you talk like that.” She scanned her eyes down and across the brunette’s face, landing at her mouth. The tidal pull of their lips was nearly unbearable.

“It’s been so long, Chloe, I can’t help it.”

“Yeah, way too damn long. But first, I wanted to tell you that we need to leave in a few days. Maxter, your art will be on display for the next three weeks at a gallery in Eugene! Dude, it’s happening. Goddammit, I’m so proud of you. I have emails out to several other galleries too… including, New York!”

“Whoa, Chloe. Slow down, please. That’s amazing and all, but New York? Thank you for the vote of confidence, it means a lot, but can we start slower? New York would be a dream come true, but I’ll need a ton more experience before then. This is all happening so fast.”

“Whatever you want, babe. I just know you’re gonna kill it. And as your official manager, I have to book gigs – keep your ass busy. New York would be lucky to have Max Caulfield step foot in their damn state.”

“Oh, shut up, Chloe. I mean, I love it when you believe in me, but maybe you’re going overboard. What if they don’t like my photos? Or what if they don’t like me?”

“They would be fucking idiots if they didn’t like you. What’s not to like? You’re smart, you’re talented, you’re hot as fuck.” Chloe scooped the girl up and into her arms, carrying her towards the bathroom. “Okay, talk is over. I can’t resist you anymore. Wanna join me in the shower?”

“Fuck, yes.”

* * *

March 12, 2014

Chloe thought it would be a good idea for me to begin writing again since I’ve been having nightmares pretty regularly. There were a couple of months where I either didn’t dream, or just didn’t remember them. Sometimes they involve the dark room and Mark Jefferson, other times I dream about the Watcher and the endless sacrifices and death that came with the previous holders of the rewind power. But the absolute worst nightmares are ones that involve Chloe and bad things happening to her. She thinks if I write more, my mind will eventually be able to sort out the subconscious issues I’m dealing with in my head. Plus, she thinks it’ll be a good idea for me to start blogging about our adventures for the website and writing in my journal will help me get started.

I showed her my entire journal last week. She’s never asked to read it, which is super cool of her. She’s very curious by nature, as I am, but has always valued my privacy in that regard. But I want to share everything with her from now on, even what’s going on inside my head. It was funny watching her laugh when she read my thoughts about our first kiss, if you can really call it that. She dared me kiss her in her bedroom last year, and it shocked her that I actually did it. I sorta wish she would have locked on and kissed me back so I wouldn’t have had to wonder what she felt about me. But I guess everything worked out because we’re together now. She’s the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.

It’s hard to believe Chloe’s a twenty-year-old now. She wanted to go on an adventure for her birthday yesterday, so I took her camping near Big Lookout Mountain and we kayaked on Snake River. It was a ton of fun, we laughed so hard! We made smores by the campfire and just relaxed, enjoying our time together. I took some beautiful shots that are already on the website. I’m loving my new Samsung NX1 camera. It cost a lot of money, but we take extra care of it and the pictures are truly fantastic. Traveling with Chloe and focusing on my photography career feels like a dream come true. After all we’ve been through, I feel like we deserve to be happy, and we are very lucky to be happy together.

My first gallery show was a success. We sold some pieces and met some great people. I’m not sure, but Chloe thinks most of our revenue will come from online sales rather than gallery showings. I’ll let her worry about the financial part and I’ll just work on my art. It means the world to me that people are enjoying my work. 

We stayed with Chloe’s aunt in Eugene for a couple of weeks. Dorothy is really her great aunt, and despite her medical condition, she was very hospitable and friendly. It was nice to connect with her, as she told us stories about Joyce when they were younger, causing Chloe to become emotional a few times. We both miss her mom tremendously.

Speaking of Chloe getting emotional, she told me she wished she could get rid of her beautiful tattoo, which was a shocker to me. She was ready to walk out the door and head to a tattoo shop to get it covered, but I stopped her. Though, she does make a good point. She expressed that she wanted to advance in her life, and it was a constant reminder of a much darker time. We’re both still healing, and if she says she wants to get it covered again, I will not stop her.

She received a call from David on her birthday. It seemed to go much better than the last time they spoke. Chloe said he wants to see us and be a part of our life, but she told him she needed more time. He left the town and headed east, so I imagine we’ll meet up with him at some point. David told her that Victoria is still having a really rough time getting past the storm week shit, losing her parents, and her experience in the dark room. Maybe we should reach out to her soon. Despite our differences, I really hope she can move on and build a happy life somehow.

Chloe asked me many times to change my hair. I mean, she doesn’t NOT like it, she just wants me to show more of my face and stop hiding behind my bangs. Her encouragement has really helped me build my confidence. I don’t see us settling down and buying a house or anything any time soon, so I guess I’ll just need to pick a spot, maybe in Idaho, to get my hair cut and styled. Chloe’s hair is more green than blue now. I guess it makes sense that faded blue in strawberry blonde would make green. Sorta like the tattoo, I think the blue hair reminded her of the lonely time she spent before I returned. I gotta be honest, though, I love her new look.

We’re headed to Boise, now, to another gallery. Chloe’s grandparents live in Idaho, so I imagine we’ll drop in for a visit. It’s so great connecting with her relatives and learning about her family history.

There’s no telling where we’ll end up after that. Chloe is handling all the business stuff, and I’m just taking photos and spending as much time with my beautiful girlfriend as possible. All things considered, the storm week (or weeks), and everything surrounding that shit, brought us both closer together. The farther we get from that bleak time, the more I can see the beauty in going through it with my best friend - the love of my life. Knowing what I now know about the yin and the yang stuff, and about our deep connection at the atomic level, it sorta doesn’t matter really. All that matters is we’re Max and Chloe. We’ll always be together. Always!


	16. Ask Me Anything

David: Hey, sweetie! What’s up?

Chloe: Well, they turned down Max’s gallery shots when they saw them in person. Said, they were too generic for their taste. Whatever the fuck that means!

David: No shit! Told you New Yorkers were assholes…

Chloe: She’s way too good for those fuckers anyway. Max’s art is so good, David. Fuck 'em.

David: Yeah, I know… How about that other gallery she told me about?

Chloe: We’re waiting on a phone call back from them any minute now.

David: Cool! Fingers crossed then.

Chloe: What about you? Don’t you damn die from a heat stroke, stay hydrated.

David: Nah, your old man doesn’t fear the heat.

Chloe: What about that project you were working on, ever get 'em going?

David: Yeah, those solar panels are finally up and running! You’ll see them the next time you come by.

Chloe: This traveling, seeing the country thing is great! Where do you think we should go next?

David: Uhhh, I don’t know. Maybe if you drive down to Louisiana, or Texas. That’d be cool.

Chloe: Oh shit, it’s the gallery calling.

David: Yeah, gotcha. All right, take care then. Wish Max luck for me, okay?

Chloe: Will do, David. Thanks.

David: Bye, bye, love ya!

* * *

After hanging up with David, then chatting with her contact at the High Museum of Art in downtown Atlanta, Chloe needed to tell her partner the good news. Max had stepped out of the hotel room to answer a phone call of her own. When the two girls converged inside, they both started talking at the same time, stopped immediately, looked into each other’s eyes, then laughed and went in for a hug.

“You go first, babe,” the photographer told her fiancé.

“I just got off the phone with the High Museum and they love your work! Looks like we’ll be taking a trip to Atlanta, Maxtreme Maxine.”

“You get more and more creative every day with my pet names… and I love it! Please never stop, Chlo. Atlanta sounds great, I’ve never been to the peach state.”

“Mmmmm, peaches…” Chloe bounced her eyebrows up and down and began edging towards the photographer with a mischievous grin on her face.

“I know that look, Chlo. Don’t even think about it. We have the Reddit AMA in five minutes, we don’t have time for that.”

“Fine, I guess we shouldn’t keep your fans waiting,” the disappointed girl huffed. “Oh, by the way, David wished you good luck. I can’t wait to go back to Away, that place is chill as fuck.” 

“Aww, he’s been great the last couple of years. I’m looking forward to getting back out there too. And you know I’m not comfortable with calling them ‘fans.’ They’re just photography aficionados who happen to enjoy the art and the travel blog.”

“Whatever, Maxibell. Okay, that wasn’t my best, was channeling my inner Southern belle. Anyway, what about you?” Chloe had no clue who called her partner. Typically, she didn’t get many calls unless it was from her family. Most all business matters were handled through her cellphone or the company email. She thought it was strange that Max went outside to take the call. “Who was that?”

Max sat down on the queen bed in the hotel room and Chloe joined her. “Babe, it was Victoria. She wants to meet and plans to feature my art in her gallery. If this works out, it could be my first long-term residency.”

“Wow, that’s great. But that would take us back to Seattle. Are you ready to go back?”

“We haven’t seen my parents since Christmas. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind us staying there for a bit.” After a brief pause, Max continued, “I was also thinking…” The brunette trailed off and looked down at the ground.

“Whoa, Max. Go ahead, what’s wrong?”

Max held up her hand and touched the one piece of jewelry she had there. “Oh, nothing is wrong, but you did give me this ring over a year ago. I know I said it didn’t matter to me, but nothing would make me happier now than officially calling you my wife.”

“Fuck, is that it? And you want to do it in Seattle?”

“If you’re ready, yeah. I think I’d really love that.”

“Do you remember when I told you all I want to do is create special moments for you? I can’t think of a more special moment than seeing you in a white dress and screaming to the world, ‘I fucking love this girl!’” The pair tightly wrapped their arms around each other and shared a few passionate moments.

Max slid back and, again, reminded Chloe of their live ‘Ask Me Anything’ appointment, which they were suddenly late for. Their two laptops were already set up at the desk, so the girls went over, sat down, and logged in…

* * *

Posted by **u/M3-MaxCaulfield**  


8.7k **[ALL] I’m Max Caulfield from Making Memories with Maxine – M3. AMA!!**

_1006 comments Give Award Share Save Hide Report_  
  
\---------------

 **THE_ChloePrice** *Stickied*

OK bitches! I’m moderating this AMA. Let’s keep it classy, avoid negativity, and don’t be a dork. Also, follow us on socials and check out the website link below if you haven’t already. (Any negativity towards Max or her work will result in me kicking your ass… and a ban! I guess constructive criticism is fine, but I’M WATCHING YOU!) Max will be available for the next 30 minutes. I’ll need her to myself after that! <3

WEBSITE: _MakingMemorieswithMaxine-M3  
  
_ \-------------------- 

Comment removed by moderator

**THE_ChloePrice**

Hey u/TomahawkFotoman, follow the damn rules. Comment to the thread not the stickied comment.

:-D

**\--------------------**

**Greggory_Torrentz**

Huge fan, thank you for being here with us! We appreciate your time!

I’m an event photographer and you inspire me so much, but I’m not really interested in asking photography questions. I follow your blog and love seeing you and Chloe’s adventures coming to life through your words and your photos.

Questions:

1) How do you decide where you travel? Sometimes you are near galleries, other times you’re in the desert. It just doesn’t seem to have a rhyme or reason.

2) If you were not a successful photographer, what do you think you would be doing with your life?

3) You and Chloe are literally gorgeous. How did two people as beautiful as you find each other?

**M3-MaxCaulfield**

It’s great to be with you guys! Thank you for the warm reception.

1) I don’t think we have any crazy formula. Sometimes we want to visit family. Sometimes we want to check out a new gallery. Other times, we just go wherever we decide. Besides gallery visits, we don’t plan anything too far in advance. We like being spontaneous. It fits us.

2) Photography is my only passion. I don’t think any other profession was ever an option. But it really doesn’t matter if I never pick up a camera again, as long as Chloe is with me, that’s all that matters.

3) Aww, thank you! I might be the photographer, but I would be nothing without Chloe. She’s my fiancé, my soulmate, and my best friend. We were kids together, and as we grew up, our connection grew stronger. Now we’re hopelessly in love!

**THE_ChloePrice**

Love you, Maximus!

**\--------------------**

**Brody_Holloway**

Max! Chloe! Been following for a couple of months, super excited about your work.

I ran a website, A Tribe Called West, before my mother passed. I traveled around living a life on wheels, sort of the way you two are now. If I ever take to the road again, I want to explore new stories in Canada or maybe Mexico. My question: We have witnessed your travels from coast to coast in the US. Have you ever considered taking your adventures to another country? I, for one, would love to see that.

Keep up the great work! Maybe our paths will cross someday.

**M3-MaxCaulfield**

I am so sorry about your mother passing, Brody. That must be hard. Chloe and I have experienced our fair share of loss too, so we can empathize.

That’s a good question. I’d love to travel outside of the country. I’m reminded daily how goopy I am, but it really doesn’t matter where we go as long as Chloe is with me.

Good luck, Brody. If you hit the road again, make sure to reach out. Also, I’ll check out your website after the AMA. Take care.

\--------------------

Comment removed by moderator

**THE_ChloePrice**

Sorry u/Hedersin, we will not be discussing Arcadia Bay or anything about that time.

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**Schaspect**

Fine Arts student with an emphasis in Photography at Ohio State University here.

Big, big fan!

Everyone knows you began your career using a Polaroid camera. Some of your best gallery pieces come from your INSTANT collection. I am struggling with finding my own path. Your successful transition from instant to digital, and still to travel, is encouraging. What advice do you have for someone like me?

**M3-MaxCaulfield**

Thank you for the question. Your professors will probably hate my answer, but I believe you can’t find what you’re looking for in a classroom. While studying is obviously important, just remember to stay genuine and be yourself. I’ve met quite a few people in your situation who often forced themselves into an area of our craft that didn’t make sense for them. Whether you’re into photojournalism, lifestyle photography, travel photography, or whatever, just dive in. Don’t worry about making money or making someone else happy. If you truly have a passion for what you do, everything else will fall into place.

Good luck with your classes!

\--------------------

**Art_Nerd_Ellie**

I love you, Max! But I hope it’s fine if I ask Chloe a question.

Chloe, big fan of yours here! A lot of the photos you’re in features you with gorgeous blue hair... sooo hot! The later ones don’t. Ever gonna go blue again?

**THE_ChloePrice**

I guess this is fine since the question does involve Max’s work. Thanks, by the way.

Here’s the thing about the blue, it’s not really me anymore. It was sort of an immature thing to do really. I was trying to shout “fuck you” to the world with two middle fingers in the air. I’ve grown up so much since then, well, we both have. Plus, Max told me she loves my natural hair color best. She’s the damn boss. If she wants Mrs. Blue back, she’ll get her.

\--------------------

**CameronTheCamMaam**

I can’t believe you’re here!! Love your work so much!!!! OK OK, question… Easy one… What’s the most amazeballs place you’ve visited so far? (Yes, I took “amazeballs” from your blog!)

PLEASE CHOOSE MY QUESTION TO ANSWER!

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

**M3-MaxCaulfield**

Ask and you shall receive! I love your enthusiasm. It’s very contagious.

We’ve visited many great places. It’s hard to choose just one. You won’t find me taking many stargazing photos, but lying outside in the Arizona desert, you can see every star in the sky. Chloe’s stepdad lives out there, and that place is amazeballs. Seriously, there’s nothing like lying under those stars. We take a blanket and head to the highest cliff we can find, and just spend time together. If there is a heaven, it would be right there with Chloe. Plus, that's where she proposed! <3

\--------------------

**Mayo_Jib**

I’m in love with your work, but it’s your travel blog that brings everything to life. Seeing you and Chloe living out your dreams, is damn amazing and inspiring. Where are you headed next? If you don’t mind sharing.

**M3-MaxCaulfield**

Funny you should ask that, we just got off the phone with the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. I’m not sure of the details, but we’ll be down south in the next month or so. Then, we’re headed back to Seattle afterwards. Wanna hear some breaking news…

Shhh, don’t tell anyone, but Chloe and I are going to finally get married! My heart is bouncing as I type this. We can’t wait!

**THE_ChloePrice**

You’re gonna look so beautiful in a wedding dress, Max - literally can’t wait! <3

\--------------------

**GrayolaGrayons**

Hey Max, I'm just starting to explore photography using a small digital. Sometimes they don't come out too good except after I edit them a bit in Photoshop. Is that cheating? Thanks! Love your pictures!

**M3-MaxCaulfield**

Great question!

Personally, I don’t use Photoshop or any other editing or post-processing software. I’ve always had this passion for capturing a moment in its natural form. I used an instant for years, and you can’t really edit when the photo is ready right away. But that’s not saying you shouldn’t do it. It obviously depends on your goals. Many types of photography pretty much require the ability to edit these days. If you’re into weddings or event photography, or some sort of marketing photography, you’ll want to make sure your clients love what you produce.

To me, that’s the beauty of our art. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Although there are hundreds of authors who have written books telling us what to do and not to do. I say do what your heart desires but never stop pushing the boundaries of what is and is not acceptable.

\--------------------

**MegaRayn**

Like everyone here, HUGE fan! Thank you for all of your work.

When you first started out you took a lot of selfies. Some of my favorite shots are from your INSTANT collection. But I love your newer stuff too. I am obsessed with how beautiful you are! First, have you considered getting back in front of the camera? (You have a large portion of your fanbase that would love that!) And second, have you two ever thought about having kids?

Thanks!!!

**M3-MaxCaulfield**

Aww! You guys are so sweet. I’ve always had a hard time with self-image. Chloe has been my rock, though. She tells me I’m beautiful all the time, and even though I struggle to accept it, she makes me feel like I’m the only girl in the world.

My natural place is behind the camera, not in front. But never say never, Chloe thinks I should too. We’ll see!

As far as kids are concerned, right now we’re happy just being together. If I explained what all we had to go through to make it here today, you wouldn’t believe me. We have the luxury of being able to come and go as we please now. Kids would definitely change things. BUT… do you know how damn cute it would be to see Chloe as a mommy? She’d be amazing at it! One day, we might settle down and start a family, who knows. All I know is I love her more than anything, and I know we’re happier than we've ever been.

Thanks for the questions!

**THE_ChloePrice**

Fuck, I love you Max!

Okay, I’m taking her back now, she’s all mine! MUAHAHAHA!

Thank you for the questions. If yours wasn’t answered, we may post others on the socials or the website. We’ll be in Georgia soon, so be on the lookout for updates. AND, as she said, we’ll be in Seattle in the coming months for our badass wedding! Max will definitely be in front of the camera then! ;-)

See ya!

* * *

“That seemed to go well,” the photographer acknowledged as she and her partner signed off. Both girls closed their laptops and slowly stood from their seated positions at the desk. “I love you,” she whispered, looking up and into Chloe’s mesmerizing sapphire eyes, which were only inches from hers. The silence that followed was thick and lasted for several seconds. The girls just stared deeply into each other’s eyes, into each other’s souls. Their hearts were fixed and locked in tightly. The room and everything else in reality bled from their peripherals. The only thing that existed in the universe was two beautiful girls, one brunette with freckles and silky pale skin, the other strawberry blonde hair with a half-covered tattoo.

“I love you, Max Caulfield. Now kiss me… I dare you, kiss me now.” As her fiancé, leading with her lips, inched closer, Chloe pulled back, teasing the younger girl. Max pushed in, forcing herself through her partner’s taunt. Her lips would not be denied. Like a butterfly’s wings, their mouths gently brushed sending warm tremors of energy through their bodies. Like metal to a magnet the power was too strong to deny. Moisture was exchanged between the girls, from one to the other and back and forth. They clung to one another as the tangible universe swayed from existence. Losing their balance to the dizzying moment, with time slowing to a barely detectable crawl, the lovers landed in a cloud of weightlessness, both knowing if this was their final adventure, they were exactly where they wanted to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please see "chapter 17" for some special notes.


	17. Notes and Thank you

Thank you so much for going on this adventure with Max and Chloe and myself. There are so many people who contributed to the overall product:

BETA READERS  
JibbyPuff  
Aspect11  
Megaruru  
DanielHugoGray

ARTWORK  
Daniel H Gray - Max and Chloe Yin and Yang art at the beginning of chapter 1

Thalisha87 - Max and Chloe LiS 2 art at the beginning of chapter 16

HB24 - Max and Chloe before their first photo-jump together near the end of chapter 1 & Max and Chloe on their phones in chapter 2

ADDITIONAL CONCEPT ADVICE  
Blackadder261  
Escherlat  
NocturnalOdyssey  
GipsyLegend  
Zeak  
and a ton of others!

NOTES:

The original idea for this story came to me when I was desperate for new Max and Chloe content after my first play-through of Life is Strange. I immediately sought social media spaces to find out what others were saying. Most collective thought sort of circled back to the idea that there would never be more Max and Chloe content because Dontnod/SE would have to choose BAE or BAY as canon for it to happen. I was like, wait... why couldn't both happen to appease everyone? Thus, chapter 1 was born.

As the outline continued and the story evolved, it was clear I wanted to keep this journey as post-canon, because I was writing in order to help set my own head canon. The one thing that could never be changed in order to remain canonical, was Rachel's death. As sad as it may be to some, she is canonically dead at this moment. BUT, I felt a duty to give Chloe closure, allow Max and Rachel to meet, and give Rachel the best curtain call ever. What better way to do that than to have her not only save Max and Chloe but also the world. I also gave her the title line, "...the only way now." (Just a little tease, I have plans for her in the next story.)

Lastly, I really want to let folks decide for themselves what they think about The Watcher and the "sci-fi" events. I know exactly who/what he represents to me but don't want to ruin anything if you took something else away from it. I'll say this... Max and Chloe are in love at the deepest possible level. They don't know exactly (or even care) why they love each other so much, they just do. If their pure love for one another is represented with the yin and the yang, and they are "the good guys"... I don't know that The Watcher doesn't represent the opposite side of the equation. Perhaps he doesn't even know what he represents, just that he exists.

Anyway, thank you again for experiencing this with me. Please reach out if you have any questions. The story was intended to be less than 20 chapters and be easy to pick up for new readers. I fully intend to add to this universe with a couple of one shots and, yes, there will be another full story arc (maybe 2)!

***Special thanks to JibbyPuff. I would have trashed this story months ago without him kicking me square in the ass and telling me to keep going!!***

* * *

2/28/20 UPDATE

  
 **CONTINUATION OF T.O.W.N.**  
  
I just decided I can't stop writing for The Only universe. I've felt so empty since writing the final chapter. It means way too much to me to completely end it yet. Below, I will list one shots based on this story.  
  
 **Rachel's POV of the Chapter 14 memorial**

<https://archiveofourown.org/works/22874029>   
  
  
**After chapter 16, back in Seattle**

<https://archiveofourown.org/works/22294432>

2/29/20 UPDATE

Well I just couldn't stay away. The sequel to T.O.W.N. has been outlined, and I started writing chapter 1 today. I'm hoping for 10-20 chapters around 50,000 - 60,000 words. I can't wait to share this one with you!

3/10/20 UPDATE

This will be the final update here, as I turn my focus towards T.O.R.N. (The Only Reason Now). The first chapter will be published soon. I can't wait to dive back into Max and Chloe's world with you again! It picks up right after T.O.W.N. and the one shot [Just Wait](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22294432). <3 <3 <3

3/12/20 ACTUALLY THE FINAL UPDATE

Chapter one of The Only Reason Now has been published. Please check it out:  
  
<https://archiveofourown.org/works/23129203/chapters/55345615>


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